> \ ' 


THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


^5°i.0973 

F92p 


Return  this  book  on  or  before  the 
Latest  Date  stamped  below. 

University  of  Illinois  Library 


/Jr-v  T 


AM 


D] 


L161— H41 


AUTHOR  UF  “FICTORIAI.  HISTORY  OF  TIIK  UNITED  STATES,”  “PICTORIAL  HHInRl 
OF  THE  VVORIJ), 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  LEAVITT  & ALLEN, 

No.  379  Broadway. 


1856. 


THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


■559.0973 

F92p 


THE 


PICTOKIAL  HISTOKY 


AMEB.ICAN  NAVY; 


COMPRISING 

LIVES 


DISTINGUISHED  COMMANDERS. 


COMPILED  FROM  THE  BEST  AUTHORITIES. 


BY  JOHN  FROST,  LL.D., 

AUTHOR  UF  “PICTORMI,  HISTORY  Of  THK  UNITED  STATES,”  “PICTORIAL  HI-sruRI 
OF  THE  VVOR^,  »&c.&c. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  LEAVITT  & ALLEN, 

No.  379  Broadway. 


1856. 


Entered  according  lo  tiir  ac.  o,'  Congress,  m me  veer  1845, 


J O II  FROST, 

m the  office  ol  the  C'lerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Fnitcd  State; 
tor  the  Eastern  District  of  Fennsylvania. 


bj 


in  and 


PEEFACE 


■V 


l- 


N. 


'.S 


While  the  Naval  Biography  of  England  and  the 
other  great  maritime  powers  has  been  written  by  the 
ablest  authors,  and  published  with  every  aid  of  em- 
bellishment and  typographical  elegance,  that  of  the 
United  States  has  hitherto  been  permitted  to  remain 
unwritten ; or  has  only  presented  itself  to  public 
notice  in  the  fugitive  form  of  magazine  or  newspaper 
articles.  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  however,  that  some 
of  the  lives  which  have  appeared  in  this  form  were 
furnished  by  the  ablest  writers  in  the  country,  and 
derive  their  authority  from  original  documents,  let- 
ters, and  personal  narratives.  From  the  materials 
for  an  American  Naval  Biography  thus  furnished, 
in  addition  to  other  original  materials  politely  fur- 
nished by  surviving  naval  officers,  or  the  families  of 
those  who  are  deceased,  the  following  work  is  com- 
posed. Were  the  compiler  at  liberty  to  give  the 
name  of  each  writer  to  whom  he  is  indebted  for  any 
portion  of  this  work,  the  list  would  command  atten- 
tion and  respect  by  the  high  literary  reputation  of 
the  contributors.  As  it  is,  the  work  will  speak  for 
itself;  and  the  reader  will  have  no  difficulty  in  per- 
ceiving that  each  biographical  sketch  has  been  exe- 

1*  5 


944392 


VI 


PREFACE. 


cuted  by  one  who  is  conversant  with  naval  affairt  &nd 
anxious  to  do  justice  to  the  subject. 

The  compiler  embraces  the  present  opportunity  of 
expressing  his  gratitude  to  the  gentlemen,  connected 
with  the  naval  service,  who  have  kindly  aided  the 
work  by  furnishing  documents  and  other  means  of 
information  necessary  to  its  completion.  His  thanks 
are  also  due  to  Mr.  Asa  Spencer,  the  inventor  of  the 
machine  for  medal  ruling,  for  his  admirable  facsimiles 
of  several  of  the  gold  medals,  conferred  on  distin- 
guished commanders  by  congress.  All  the  engravings 
of  medals  in  the  work,  except  that  of  the  Preble 
medal,*  were  engraved  by  Mr.  Spencer  himself. 
Nearly  all  the  views  of  naval  actions  were  designed 
by  Mr.  James  Hamilton,  the  marine  and  landscape 
painter,  a young  artist  whose  talents  are  already 
known  and  appreciated  by  the  public. 

Should  the  present  work  meet  with  encourage- 
ment, it  is  the  compiler’s  intention  to  furnish  another 
series  of  lives  of  naval  commanders,  at  some  future 
period. 

Philadelphia,  October  17,  1843. 

i * This  medal  was  ruled  by  Mr.  Sexton,  of  the  United  States  Mint, 

Philadelphia. 


CONTENTS 


John  Paul  Jonks, 
Richard  Dale, 
Alexander  Murrav, 

John  Barry,  . 

Nicholas  Biddle, 

Joshua  Barney, 

Edward  Preble, 

Thomas  Truxtun, 

Jacob  Jones, 

James  Lawrence, 

Isaac  Hull 

William  Henry  Allkw, 
Johnston  Blakeley, 
Stephen  Decatur, 
Thomas  Macdonough, 
James  Biddle, 

Oliver  Hazard  Perrv,  . 
William  Bainbridge, 
Charles  Stewart, 

David  Porter, 

William  Burrows, 


9 

35 

60 

75 

89 

106 

135 

173 

185 

203 

232 

246 

263 

274 

293 

305 

338 

35S 

384 

402 

427 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2016  I 


i 


https://archive.org/details/pictorialhistory00fros_0 


LIST  OF  EMBELLISHMENTS, 


STEEL  PLATES. 

1.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Bainbridge,,  . . Frontispie.je. 

2.  Gold  medal  presented  by  congress  to  Commodore  John  Paul 


Jones,  ......  Page  9 

3.  Gold  medal  presented  to  Commodore  Preble,  . . . 135 

4.  Gold  medal  presented  to  Commodore  Jacob  Jones,  . 185 

5.  Gold  medal  p>-esented  to  Commodore  Hull,  . . . 232 

6.  Gold  medal  presented  to  Commodore  Biddle,  . , 305 

7.  Gold  medal  presented  to  Commodore  Stewart,  . 384 


ENGRAVINGS  ON  WOOD. 

1.  Title  page.  Drawn  by  W.  Croome.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  De- 
vereux. 

2.  Portrait  of  Commodore  John  Paul  Jones.  Drawn  by  Pinker- 
ton. Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frosft, 9 

3.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . .9 

9 


X 

EMBELLISHMENTS. 

4 

Jonn  Paul  Jones  restoring  Lord  Selkirk's  plate.  Drawn  and 

engraved  by  W.  Croome, 

.7 

5 

Engagement  between  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  and  the  Sera- 

pis.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T. 

1 

Devereux, 

22  1 

j 

6. 

Tail  piece.  The  American  Eagle.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Par- 

melee,  

34 

7 

Portrait  of  Commodore  Dale.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 

graved  by  Devereux,  

35 

8.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee, 

35 

9. 

Tail  piece.  Sailors  reading  the  news  of  a victory.  Drawn 

and  engraved  by  T.  H.  Mumford, 

59 

10.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Murray.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 

graved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 

60 

11. 

Ornamental  letter.  The  Midshipman.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton. 

Engraved  by  Parmelee, 

60 

12. 

Tail  piece.  Sailors  smoking.  Drawn  and  engraved  by  T.  H. 

Mumford, 

74 

13.  Portraif  ol’  Commodore  Barry.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 

graved  1%'  Devereux,  

75 

14.  Ornamental  letter.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  Engraved  by 

Parmelee, 

75 

16.  Engagement  between  the  Alliance  and  the  Aialanta.  Drawn 

by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 

82 

EMBELLISHMENTS.  xi 

16.  Portrait  of  Captain  Nicholas  Biddle.  Drawn  and  engraved 

by  Henry  B.  Brown, 89 

17.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  Henry  B.  Brown,  . 89 

18.  Mr.  Biddle  shipwrecked  on  the  Northern  Triangles.  Engraved 

by  Henry  B.  Brown, 91 

19.  Action  between  the  Randolph  and  the  Yarmouth.  Drawn 

by  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . 101 

20.  Tail  piece.  Sailor  in  the  shrouds.  Engraved  by  C.  N. 

Parmelee, 105 

21.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Barney.  Drawn  by  W.  Croome. 

Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  106 

22.  Ornamental  letter.  The  Pilot.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 106 

23.  Engagement  between  the  Hyder  Ally  and  the  General  Monk. 
Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  125 

24.  Ornamental  letter.  Eagle  and  Lion.  Engraved  by  T.  H. 

Mumford, 135 

25.  Bombardment  of  Tripoli.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  En- 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 155 

26.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . .172 

27.  Gold  medal  portrait  of  Commodore  Truxtun.  Drawn  and 

engraved  by  Henry  B.  Brown,  173 


28.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . 


173 


xii  EMBELLISHMEISTS 

29.  Engagement  between  tbe  Constellation  and  the  Vengeance 

Drawn  by  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  Devereux,  . . 181 

30.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  . . . .184 

31.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Jacob  Jones.  Drawn  and  engraved 

by  H.  B.  Brown, 185 

32.  Ornamental  letter.  Throwing  the  Lead.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton. 

Engraved  by  Devereux, 18t» 

33.  Surrender  of  the  Frolic  to  the  Wasp.  Drawn  by  James 

Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . .193 

34.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  ....  202 

35.  Portrait  of  Captain  Lawrence.  Drawn  by  H.  B.  Brown. 

Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 203 

36.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  T.  H.  Mumford,  . . 203 

37.  The  Peacock  sunk  by  the  Hornet.  Drawn  by  James  Hamil- 
ton. Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 214 

38.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . . 231 

39.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Hull.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 
graved by  W.  Croome, 234 

40.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  Minot,  ....  234 

41.  Escape  of  the  Constitution  from  a British  squadron.  En- 
graved by  W.  Croome, 237 

42.  The  Constitution  and  the  Guerriere.  Drawn  by  James 

Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . . 24x 

43  Tail  piece.  Drawn  and  engraved  by  T.  H.  Mumford,  . 245 


E M C E L L I S il  M E N T S.  xiu 

44.  Portrait  of  Captain  Allen.  Drawn  by  H.  B.  Brown.  En  - 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 246 

45.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . 246 

46.  Portrait  of  Captain  Blakeley.  Drawn  by  H.  B.  Brown.  En- 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 263 

47.  Ornamental  letter  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . 263 


48.  The  Wasp  and  the  Reindeer.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  269 

49.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Decatur.  Drawn  by  Pinkerton.  En- 
graved by  W.  Croome, 274 

50.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . 274 

61.  Burning  of  the  Philadelphia.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton. 

Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 280 

52.  Engagement  between  the  United  States  and  the  Macedonian. 
Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  287 

53.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  ....  292 

54.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Macdonough.  Drawn  and  engraved 

by  H.  B.  Brown, 293 

55.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . 293 

56.  Battle  of  Lake  Champlain.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton. 

Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux, 300 

57.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  Thomson, 304 

58.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  . . 305 

99.  Surrender  of  the  Penguin.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  En- 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 324 


XIV 


E MB  E L L 1 iS  H M E N 'J' S. 


60.  Escape  of  the  Hornet  from  a British  seventy-four.  Drawn 

by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . 331 

61.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  ....  337 

62.  Portrait  of  Commodore  Perry.  Drawn  and  engraved  by  H. 

B.  Brown,  338 

63.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  W.  Croome,  . . 338 

64.  Battle  of  Lake  Erie.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  Engraved 

by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . . . . . . 351 

65.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  N.  Parmelee,  . . . 357 

66.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . 358 

67.  Constitution  and  Java.  Drawn  by  James  Hamilton.  En- 
graved by  G.  T.  Devereux, 379 

68.  Tail  piece.  Drawn  and  engraved  by  T.  H.  Mumford,  . 383 


69.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  . . . 384 

70.  Capture  of  the  Cyane  and  Levant.  Drawn  by  James  Hamil- 
ton. Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  ....  395 

71.  Tail  piece.  Engraved  by  C.  K.  Frost,  . . . 40i 

72.  Portrait  of  Commodore  David  Porter.  Drawn  by  H.  B. 

Brown.  Engraved  by  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . 405 

73.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  W.  Croome,  . , . 402 

74.  Ornamental  letter.  Engraved  by  W.  Croome,  . . 427 


75.  Action  between  the  Enterprise  and  the  Boxer.  Drawn  by 
James  Hamilton.  Engraved  bv  G.  T.  Devereux,  . . 435 


Directions  to  tlie  Binder  for  placing  the  Steel  Plate  E/ngramng* 

Ponrait  of  Commodore  Bainbridge  to  face  engraved  title  page. 
Medalitun  eijoraving.  Medal  presented  to  Commodore  John  Paul 

Jones,  ....  9 

Medal  presented  to  Commodore  Preble,  l35 

Medal  presented  to  Commodore  Jacob 
Jones,  . . . . 185 

Pdedal  presented  to  Commodore  Hull,  . 232 
Medal  presented  to  Commodore  Biddle,  305 

Medal  presented  to  Commodore  Stewart,  384 


I 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES. 


N commemorating 
the  lives  and  ser- 
vices of  the  naval 
commanders  dis- 
tinguished in  the 
history  of  our  coun- 
try, it  is  but  just  to 
place  Paul  Jones 
among  the  first.  He 
was  the  first  to  hoist 
the  American  flag  in  a regular  American  man  of  war. 
He  gained  the  most  brilliant  victory  won  upon  the 
ocean  during  the  war  of  independence ; and  through- 
out the  whole  of  his  splendid  career  he  exhibited  a 
B 


10 


EARLY  LIFE. 


degree  of  courage  and  ability  which  has  been  sur- 
passed by  none  of  those  who  have  succeeded  him  in 
the  brilliant  line  of  our  naval  heroes. 

John  Paul  Jones,  was  the  son  of  Mr.  John  Paul, 
a respectable  gardener.  He  was  born  at  Arbigland, 
in  the  parish  of  Kirkbean,  and  stewartry  of  Kirkcud- 
bright, in  the  month,  of  July,  1747,  and  received  the 
rudiments  of  his  education  at  the  parochial  school. 
The  contiguity  of  his  residence  to  the  shore  of  the 
Solway  Firth,  inspired  him  with  an  early  predilection 
for  a sea-faring  life ; and  while  yet  a mere  child,  he 
hoisted  his  flag  on  board  his  mimic  ship,  and  issued 
audible  mandates  to  his  imaginary  ofiicers  and  crew, 
with  all  the  consequence  of  a legitimate  commander 
Nor  was  he  content  wuth  this.  As  his  skill  in 
manoeuvring  improved,  he  ventured  to  criticise  the 
nautical  knowledge  of  practical  sailors;  and  in  the 
eager  and  confident  tone  with  which,  from  the  emi- 
nence on  which  he  took  his  station,  he  thundered 
forth  his  orders  to  the  vessels  which  were  entering 
the  port  at  Carsethorn,  might  be  remarked  the  ardent 
and  enterprising  mind  of  one  who  felt  that  he  was 
born  to  future  command. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  the  town  of  Dumfries 
carried  on  a very  considerable  trade  in  tobacco  with 
America:  and  as  the  Nith  was  not  navigable  to  foreign 
vessels,  the  cargoes  were  unshipped  at  Carsethorn, 
near  the  mouth  of  that  river.  There,  from  his  earliest 
years,  Paul  had  opportunities  of  conversing  with 
mariners  from  the  discontented  colonies ; and  it  is 
probable  that  he  thus  first  imbibed  that  enthusiastic 
attachment  to  the  United  States,  and  those  revolu- 
tionary principles,  which  exerted  so  decided  an  in- 


'JV  the  me  ICHANT  SERVICE.  11 

fluciicft  on  his  conduct  when  he  grew  up  to  maturity, 
and  eventually  led  him  to  renounce  his  allegiance,  and 
raise  his  hand  against  the  country  which  gave  him 
birth. 

Ilis  partiality  for  a sailor’s  life,  was  so  determined, 
that  his  friends  resolved  to  indulge  it;  and  accordingly 
at  the  age  of  twelve,  he  was  sent  across  the  Firth 
to  Whitehaven,  where  he  was  bound  apprentice  to 
Mr.  Younger,  a respectable  merchant  in  the  American 
trade.  His  first  voyage  was  made  on  board  the  Friend- 
ship, Capt.  Benson.  His  course  was  steered  for  the 
Rappahannoc,  and  before  he  had  completed  his  thir- 
teenth year,  he  had  landed  on  the  shore  of  that 
country  which  he  was  destined  to  adopt  as  his  own. 
His  home,  while  the  ship  was  in  port,  was  the  house 
of  an  elder  brother,  who,  having  married  a native  of 
Virginia,  had  previously  settled  there.  Here  his 
early  prepossessions  in  favour  of  America  were  con- 
firmed, and  from  that  period,  as  he  afterwards  ex- 
pressed himself  to  Baron  Van  der  Capellan,  that 
became  ‘‘  the  country  of  his  fond  election.” 

In  the  meantime,  his  intelligence  and  good  conduct 
acquired  him  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  em- 
ployer, who  promised  to  give  him  a substantial  proof 
of  his  favour,  by  promoting  him  to  the  command  of  a 
vessel ; and  he  would  have  kept  his  word,  had  not  the 
embarrassed  state  of  his  affairs  deprived  him  of  the 
power  to  do  it. 

Our  adventurer,  being  at  length  freed  from  the 
trammels  of  apprenticeship,  made  several  voyages  to 
the  coast  of  Africa ; but  he  soon  became  disgusted 
with  a traffic  which  had  too  long  been  the  disgrace  of 
civilized  nations,  and  confined  his  services  to  the 


12  JONES  VISITS  VIRGINIA. 

command  of  vessels  engaged  in  a more  reputable  and 
legitimate  commerce. 

In  the  year  1773,  he  went  to  Virginia  to  arrange 
the  affairs  of  his  brother,  who  had  died  there  without 
leaving  any  family;  and  about  this  time,  in  addition 
to  his  original  surname,  he  assumed  the  'patronymic 
of  Jones,  his  father’s  Christian  name  having  been 
John.  This  custom,  which  is  of  classical  authority, 
has  long  been  prevalent  in  Wales,  and  in  various 
other  countries,  although  it  is  not  usual  in  that  part 
of  the  island  in  which  he  was  born. 

This  visit  revived  and  rivetted  the  attachment 
which  young  Paul  Jones  had  conceived  for  America; 
and  in  spite  of  the  native  ardor  and  restless  activity 
of  his  mind,  he  resolved  to  withdraw  from  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  a sea-faring  life,  to  fix  his  residence  in  that 
country,  and  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  days  to 
retirement  and  study.  He  was  little  aware  of  the 
turbulent  scenes  in  which  he  was  destined  soon  to 
perform  a part,  nor  of  the  conspicuous  figure  he  was 
to  make  in  them. 

The  discontents  of  the  colonists  had  by  this  time 
occasioned  much  commotion,  and  their  murmurs  be- 
came daily  deeper  and  more  frequent,  till  at  last  they 
fairly  broke  off  all  connection  with  the  parent  country. 
Towards  the  conclusion  of  the  year  1775,  it  was  de- 
termined by  Congress  to  fit  out  a naval  force  to  assist 
in  the  defence  of  American  independence,  and  an 
anxious  search  was  made  for  friends  to  the  cause  who 
should  be  at  once  able  and  willing  to  act  as  officers 
on  board  their  vessels.  It  now  appeared  that  Paul 
Jones  had,  in  his  romantic  schemes  of  tranquil  enjoy- 
ment, falsely  estimated  the  natural  bent  of  his  genius. 


HOISTS  THE  AMERICAN  FLAG.  13 

With  deep  interest  he  had  watched  the  progress  of 
those  political  events  which  were  to  decide  the  fate 
of  his  adopted  country;  and  when  an  open  resistance 
was  made  to  the  dominion  of  Britain,  he  could  no 
longer  remain  an  inactive  spectator.  Having  only 
just  completed  his  twenty- eighth  year,  he  was  full  of 
bodily  vigour  and  of  mental  energy,  and  he  conceived 
that  his  nautical  skill  would  qualify  him  to  he  a dis- 
tinguished asserter  of  the  rights  of  the  colonists.  He 
was  immediately  appointed  first  lieutenant  of  the 
Alfred,  one  of  the  only  two  ships  belonging  to  Con- 
gress, and  on  board  that  vessel,  before  Philadelphia, 
he  hoisted  the  flag  of  independent  America  with  his 
own  hands,  the  first  time  it  was  ever  displayed  in  a 
national  ship.  In  the  course  of  a very  active  and 
successful  campaign,  having  found  means  to  gain  the 
confidence  of  the  Marine  Committee  by  his  zeal  and 
intrepidity,  he  had  not  served  many  months  before  the 
President  sent  him  a captain’s  commission. 

In  November,  1777,  he  sailed  for  France,  in  the 
Ranger,  a new  sloop-of-war  of  eighteen  guns,  with 
despatches  of  the  victory  of  Saratoga.  It  was  in- 
tended that,  “as  a reward  for  the  important  services” 
which  he  had  already  rendered  to  America,  he  should 
be  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Indian,  a fine 
frigate,  just  built  for  Congress  at  Amsterdam,  and 
that  the  Ranger  should  act  under  his  orders ; but  the 
American  commissioners  at  Paris  found  it  their  best 
policy  to  assign  this  vessel  over  to  the  King  of  France, 
and  Captain  Paul  Jones  continued  with  the  Ranger 
Having  convoyed  some  merchant  ships  to  Quiberon 
Bay,  he  there  received  from  the  French  commander  the 
first  salute  that  was  ever  given  to  the  flag  of  Congress. 

2 


14  DL  SCENT  ON  THE  COAST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Eager  to  retaliate  upon  Britain  for  some  predatory 
exploits  of  her  sailors  on  the  American  coast,  and 
exasperated  by  the  resolution  which  the  English 
government  had  taken,  to  treat  all  the  supporters  of 
independence  as  traitors  and  rebels.  Captain  Paul 
Jones  soon  after  this  entered  the  Irish  Channel,  and 
approached  his  native  shores,  not  as  a friend,  but  as 
a determined  enemy.  On  the  night  of  the  22d  April, 
1778,  he  came  to  anchor  in  the  Solway  Firth,  almost 
within  sight  of  the  trees  which  sheltered  the  house  in 
which  he  first  drew^  the  breath  of  life.  Early  next 
morning,  he  rowed  for  the  English  coast,  at  the  head 
of  thirty-one  volunteers,  in  two  boats,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  destroying  the  shipping  (about  two  hundred 
sail,)  which  lay  in  the  harbor  of  Whitehaven.  In 
this  daring  attempt  he  would  probably  have  succeeded 
without  difficulty,  had  not  the  strength  of  the  op- 
posing tide  retarded  his  progress  so  much,  that  day 
began  to  dawn  before  he  could  gain  the  shore.  He 
despatched  the  smaller  of  the  two  boats  to  the  north 
of  the  port  to  set  fire  to  the  vessels,  whilst  he  led  the 
remainder  of  the  party  in  person  to  the  more  hazard- 
ous duty  of  securing  the  fort,  which  was  situated  on 
a hill  to  the  south.  It  was  a cold  morning ; and  the 
seatinels,  little  aware  that  an  enemy  was  so  near,  had 
retired  into  the  guard-room  for  warmth,  affording 
Jones  an  opportunity  to  take  them  by  surprise,  of 
vvliich  he  did  not  fail  to  avail  himself  Climbing  over 
the  shoulders  of  the  tallest  of  his  men,  he  crept  silently 
through  one  of  the  embrasures,  and  was  instantly 
followed  by  the  rest.  Their  first  care  was  to  make 
fast  the  door  of  the  guard-room,  and  their  next  to 
spike  the  cannon,  thirty-six  in  number.  Having 


DESCENT  ON  ST.  MARY’S  ISLE.  15 

effected  this  without  bloodshed,  they  proceeded  to 
join  the  detachment  which  had  been  sent  to  the  north ; 
and  finding  that  a false  alarm  had  deterred  them  from 
executing  their  orders,  Jones  instantly  proceeded  to 
set  fire  to  the  vessels  within  his  reach.  By  this 
time,  however,  the  inhabitants  were  roused,  and  the 
invaders  were  obliged  to  retreat,  leaving  three  ships 
in  flames,  of  which  one  alone  was  destroyed. 

On  the  same  day  with  this  adventure,  another 
memorable  occurrence  took  place,  which  contributed, 
for  a time,  to  add  greatly  to  the  odium  which  the  first 
had  brought  on  his  name  in  Britain,  but  which,  in  the 
end,  enabled  him  to  prove  that  he  was  possessed  of 
the  most  disinterested  and  heroic  qualities.  In 
cruising  off  the  coast  of  Galloway,  it  occurred  to 
him,  that,  if  he  could  get  into  his  power  a man  of 
high  rank  and  influence  in  the  state,  he  should  be 
able,  by  retaining  him  as  a hostage,  to  ensure  to  the 
American  prisoners  of  war  more  lenient  treatment 
than  was  threatened  by  the  British  government. 
Knowing'  that  the  Earl  of  Selkirk  possessed  a seat 
in  St.  Mary’s  Isle,  a beautiful  peninsula  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Dee,  and  being  ill-informed  with  regard  to  the 
political  connections  of  that  nobleman,  he  destined 
him  for  the  subject  of  his  experiment.  With  that 
view,  he  larded  on  the  Isle,  about  noon,  with  two 
officers  and  a few  men;  but  before  they  had  proceeded 
far,  he  learnt  that  his  lordship  was  from  home,  and 
that  there  were  none  but  ladies  at  the  house.  Find- 
ing his  object  frustrated,  he  now  wished  to  return ; 
but  his  crew  were  not  so  easily  satisfied.  Their 
object  was  plunder;  and  as  they  consisted  of  men 
in  a very  imperfect  state  of  discipline,  and  with 


16  RESTORES  LORD  SELKIRK’S  PLATE. 

whom  it  would  have  been  dangerous  to  contend,  he 
allowed  them  to  proceed.  He  exacted  from  them, 
however,  a promise  that  they  should  be  guilty  of  no 
violence ; that  the  men  should  not  enter  the  house, 
and  that  the  officers,  after  having  made  their  demands, 
shotdd  accept  of  what  might  be  put  into  their  hands 
without  scrutiny.  These  conditions  were  punctually 
obeyed.  The  greater  part  of  the  Selkirk  plate  w*as 
carried  off  in  triumph  by  the  crew,  and  Paul  Jones 
was,  for  a time,  stigmatized  as  a freebooter : but  he 
nobly  vindicated  his  character,  by  taking  the  earliest 
opportunity  of  purchasing  the  whole  of  it,  out  of  his 
own  private  funds,  and  remitting  it  safe  to  its  original 
owner,  without  accepting  the  smallest  remuneration. 
National  prejudice  has  misrepresented  this  transac- 
tion ; and  in  order  to  heighten  the  popular  indignation 
against  our  hero,  at  has  been  common  to  state,  that 
this  attempt  on  the  person,  and  as  it  was  supposed 
the  property,  of  Lord  Selkirk^  was  aggravated  by  in- 
gratitude, his  father  having  eaten  of  that  nobleman’s 
bread.  Nothing  can  be  more  false.  Neither  Mr. 
Paul,  nor  any  of  his  kindred,  ever  was  in  the  Earl’s 
employ,  or  had  ever  the  most  distant  connection  with 
his  lordship  or  his  family ; and  in  a correspondence 
which  took  place  between  our  hero  and  Lady  Sel- 
kirk, relative  to  the  restitution  of  the  plate,  a most 
honourable  testimony  was  gratefully  paid  by  the  lattei 
to  the  Captain’s  character. 

The  day  succeeding  the  two  events  just  mentioned, 
Paul  Jones  encountered  the  Drake,  a King’s  ship  of 
twenty  guns,  in  Garrick  Fergus  bay,  and  tDok  her 
after  a very  brave  resistance,  in  the  course  of  which 
the  English  captain  and  his  first  lieutenant  wen 


c 


LE  BON-HOMME  RICHARD.  19 

mortally  wounded.  With  this  and  another  large 
prize,  Captain  Jones  returned  to  Brest,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  twenty-eight  days  of  very  active  service,  in 
which,  besides  taking  and  destroying  many  valuable 
vessels,  he  had  thrown  the  coasts  of  Scotland  and 
Ireland  into  consternation,  occasioned  the  Irish  Vo- 
lunteers to  be  embodied,  and  obliged  the  English 
government  to  expend  considerable  sums  in  fortifying 
the  harbours. 

A teazing  period  of  hopes  and  disappointments  fol- 
lowed. The  French  ministry,  to  testify  their  good 
will  to  the  United  States,  had  promised  to  furnish 
Paul  Jones  with  a ship,  in  which,  however,  he  was  to 
display  the  American  flag ; but,  after  various  written 
memorials,  no  progress  seemed  to  have  been  made 
towards  the  fulfilment  of  this  engagement.  At  length 
he  determined  to  apply  in  person,  and  having  gone  to 
Paris,  he  soon  obtained  the  command  of  the  Due  de 
Duras  of  forty  guns.  The  name,  however,  he  changed 
to  Le  Bon-Homme  Richard,  in  compliment  to  the  wise 
saying  of  Poor  Richard,  “ If  you  would  have  your 
business  done,  come  yourself;  if  not,  send.”  In  this 
vessel,  badly  manned,  and  not  much  better  furnished, 
Paul  Jones  sailed  as  Commodore  of  a little  squadron, 
consisting,  besides  his  own  ship,  of  the  Alliance  of 
thirty-six  guns,  the  Pallas  of  thirty-two,  the  Serf  of 
eighteen,  the  Vengeance  of  twelve,  and  two  privateers, 
which  requested  leave  to  share  the  Commodore’s  for- 
tunes. After  taking  several  prizes,  the  Serf,  the  pri- 
vateers, and  at  length  the  Alliance,  deserted  the 
squadron.  The  Commodore’s  good  fortune,  however, 
did  not  desert  him.  On  the  15th  September,  he 
was,  with  his  own  ship,  the  Pallas,  the  Vengeance, 


20  ATTEMPT  ON  LEITH. 

and  several  prizes,  at  the  entrance  into  the  Firth-  6f 
Forth,  where  they  made  every  necessary  disposition 
to  seize  the  guard-ship,  and  two  cutters,  that  rode  at 
anchor  in  the  roads,  and  to  lay  Leith,  and  perhaps 
Edinburgh,  under  contribution.  The  wind,  which 
was  fair,  in  the  night,  opposed  them  in  the  morning. 
However,  on  the  16th,  the  little  squadron  continued 
all  day  to  work  up  the  Firth.  At  this  time  a meih^ 
her  of  the  British  Parliament  observing  them  from 
the  coast  of  Fife,  and  mistaking  them  for  the  Kihg’s 
ships,  sent  off  a boat  to  inform  the  Commodore  that 
he  was  greatly  afraid  of  Paul  Jones,  and  to  beg  some 
powder  and  shot.  Our  hero,  much  amused  with  the 
message,  sent  him  a barrel  of  gunpowder,  with  a civil 
answer  to  quiet  his  fears,  and  an  apology  for  not  in- 
cluding shot  in  the  present. 

Next  morning  at  day-break,  every  thing  was  in 
perfect  readiness  to  commence  the  engagement,  and 
two  tacks  more  would  have  brought  the  strangers 
alongside  their  enemies,  when,  at  that  critical  moment, 
a sudden  gale  of  wind  swept  down  the  Firth,  raging 
with  such  violence,  as  completely  to  overpower  them; 
to  sink  one  of  the  prizes,  and  drive  all  the  rest  of  the 
squadron  fairly  out  to  sea.  By  this  failure,  tlie 
captains  of  the  Pallas  and  Vengeance  were  so  much 
disheartened,  that  they  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to 
renew  the  attempt. 

Continuing  their  cruise,  after  various  adventures, 
the  squadron  suddenly  discovered  the  homeward- 
bound  British  Baltic  fleet,  off  Scarborough  castle, 
escorted  by  the  frigate  Serapis,  and  the  Countess  of 
Scarborough.  After  a long  engagement,  in  which 
Paul  Jones  displayed  the  most  astonishing  skill,  intre^ 


rhe  Serauis  and  B o n-ll  o m m c iticnaru 


OF 

OF  ill! 

I 


JONES  MEETS  THE  BALTIC  FLEET.  23 

pidity,  and  presence  of  mind,  the  Countess  of  Scar- 
borough struck  to  the  Pallas,  and  the  Serapis  to  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard,  which  latter  ship  was  reduced 
to  so  shattered  a state,  that  next  morning,  after  all 
hands  had  left  her,  she  went  to  the  bottom.  The 
Serapis  was  not  in  much  better  condition,  the  Com- 
modore having,  with  his  own  hands,  lashed  the  two 
ships  together,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  availing 
himself  of  his  superiority  in  weight  of  metal.  The- 
following  is  Paul  Jones’  own  account  of  this  famous 
battle  : — ^ 

Soon  after  this  a fleet  of  forty-one  sail  appeared 
ofi*  Flamborough  Head,  bearing  N.  N.  E.  This  in- 
duced me  to  abandon  the  single  ship  which  had  then 
anchored  in  Burlington  Bay ; I also  called  back  the 
pilot-boat,  and  hoisted  a signal  for  a general  chase. 
When  the  fleet  discovered  us  bearing  down,  all  the 
merchant  ships  crowded  sail  towards  the  shore.  The 
two  ships  of  war  that  protected  the  fleet  at  the  same 
time  steered  from  the  land,  and  made  the  disposition 
for  battle.  In  approaching  the  enemy,  I crowded 
every  possible  sail,  and  made  the  signal  for  the  line 
of  battle,  to  which  the  Alliance  showed  no  attention. 
Earnest  as  I was  for  the  action,  I could  not  reach 
the  Commodore’s  ship  until  seven  in  the  evening, 
being  then  within  pistol-shot,  when  he  hailed  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard.  We  answered  him  by  firing 
a whole  broadside. 

“ The  battle  being  thus  begun,  was  continued  with 
unremitting  fury.  Every  method  was  practised  on 
both  sides  to  gain  an  advantage,  and  rake  each  other; 
and  I must  confess  that  the  enemy’s  ship,  being  much 
more  manageable  than  the  Bon-Homme  Richard, 


24 


BATTLE  BETWEEN 


gained  thereby  several  times  an  advantageous  situa- 
tion, in  spite  of  my  best  endeavours  to  prevent  it. 

As  I bad  to  deal  with  an  enemy  of  greatly  superior 
force,  I was  under  the  necessity  of  closing  with  him, 
to  prevent  the  advantage  which  he  had  over  me  in 
point  of  manoemTe.  It  ’was  my  intention  to  lay  the 
Bon  Homme  Richard  athwart  the  enemy’s  bow;  but 
as  that  operation  required  great  dexterity  in  the 
management  of  both  sails  and  helm,  and  some  of  our 
braces  being  shot  away,  it  did  not  exactly  succeed  to 
my  wish.  The  enemy’s  bowsprit,  however,  came  over 
the  Bon-Homme  Richard’s  poop  by  the  mizen-mast, 
and  I made  both  ships  fast  together  in  that  situation, 
which,  by  the  action  of  the  wind  on  the  enemy’s  sails, 
forced  her  stern  close  to  the  Bon-Homme  Richard’s 
bow,  so  that  the  ships  lay  square  alongside  of  each 
other,  the  yards  being  all  entangled,  and  the  cannon  of 
each  ship  touching  the  opponent’s. 

When  this  position  took  place,  it  was  eight  o’clock, 
previous  to  which  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  had 
received  sundry  eighteen-pound  shots  below  the 
water,  and  leaked  very  much.  My  battery  of  twelve- 
pounders,  on  which  I had  placed  my  chief  dependence, 
being  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Dale  and  Colonel 
Weibert,  and  manned  principally  with  American 
seamen  and  French  volunteers,  was  entirely  silenced 
and  abandoned.  As  to  the  six  old  eighteen-pounders 
that  formed  the  battery  of  the  lower  gun-deck,  they 
did  no  service  whatever,  except  firing  eight  shot  in 
all.  T wo  out  of  three  of  them  burst  at  the  first  fire, 
and  killed*almost  all  the  men  who  were  stationed  to 
manage  them.  Before  this  time,  too.  Colonel  de 
Chamillard,  who  commanded  a party  of  twenty  soldiers 


THE  RICHARD  AND  THE  SERAPIS.  25 

op  the  poop,  had  abandoned  that  station  after  having 
l(^t  some  of  his  men.  I had  now  only  two  pieces 
of  cannon,  (nine-pounders,)  on  the  quarter-deck,  that 
were  not  silenced,  and  not  one  of  the  heavier  cannon 
was  fired  during  the  rest  of  the  action.  The  purser, 
M<-  Mease,  who  commanded  the  guns  on  the  quarter- 
deck, being  dangerously  wounded  in  the  head,  I was 
obliged  to  fill  his  place,  and  with  great  difficulty  rallied 
a few  men,  and  shifted  over  one  of  the  lee  quarter- 
deck guns,  so  that  we  afterwards  played  three  pieces 
of  nine-pounders  upon  the  enemy.  The  tops  alone 
seconded  the  fire  of  this  little  battery,  and  held  out 
bravely  during  the  whole  of  the  action,  especially  the 
main-top,  where  Lieutenant  Stack  commanded.  I 
directed  the  fire  of  one  of  the  three  cannon  against 
the  main-mast,  with  double-headed  shot,  while  the 
other  two  were  exceedingly  well  served  with  grape 
and  .canister  shot,  to  silence  the  enemy’s  musketry  and 
clear  her  decks,  which  was  at  last  effected.  The 
enemy  were,  as  I have  since  understood,  on  the  in- 
stant of  calling  for  quarters,  when  the  cowardice  or 
treachery  of  three  of  my  under-ofiicers  induced  them 
to  call  to  the  enemy.  The  English  Commodore 
asked  me  if  I demanded  quarters,  and  I having  answer- 
ed him  in  the  most  determined  negative,  they  renewed 
the  battle  with  double  fury.  They  were  unable  to 
stand  the  deck ; but  the  fire  of  their  cannon,  especially 
the  lower  battery,  which  was  entirely  formed  of  ten- 
pounders,  was  incessant ; both  ships  were  set  on  fire 
in  various  places,  and  the  scene  was  dreadful  beyond 
the  reach  of  language.  To  account  for  the  timidity 
of  my  three  under-officers,  I mean  the  gunner,  the 
carpenter,  and  the  master-at-arms,  I must  observe, 
D 3 


26  BATTLE  BETWEE.T 

that  the  two  first  were  slightly  wounded  and,  as  the 
ship  had  received  various  shot  under  water,  and  one 
of  the  pumps  being  shot  away,  the  carpenter  expressed 
his  fears  that  she  would  sink,  and  the  other  two  con- 
cluded that  she  wms  sinking,  which  occasioned  the 
gunner  to  run  aft  on  the  poop,  without  my  knowledge, 
to  strike  the  colours.  Fortunately  for  me,  a cannon- 
ball had  done  that  before,  by  carrying  away  the  en- 
sign-staff; he  was  therefore  reduced  to  the  necessity 
of  sinking,  as  he  supposed,  or  of  calling  for  quarter, 
and  he  preferred  the  latter. 

All  this  time  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  had  sus- 
tained the  action  alone,  and  the  enemy,  though  much 
superior  in  force,  would  have  been  very  glad  to  have 
got  clear,  as  appears  by  their  own  acknowledgments, 
and  by  their  having  let  go  an  anchor  the  instant  that 
I laid  them  on  board,  by  which  means  they  would 
have  escaped,  had  I not  made  them  well  fast  to  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard. 

“ At  last,  at  half-past  nine  o’clock,  the  Alliance 
appeared,  and  I now  thought  the  battle  at  an  end ; 
but,  to  my  utter  astonishment,  he  discharged  a broad- 
side full  into  the  sterr  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard. 
We  called  to  him  for  God’s  sake  to  forbear  firing 
into  the  Bon-Homme  Richard ; yet  they  passed  along 
the  oflf-side  of  the  ship,  and  continued  firing.  -There 
was  no  possibility  of  his  mistaking  the  enemy’s  ships 
for  the  Bon-Homme  Richard,  there  being  the  most 
essential  difference  in  their  appearance  and  construc- 
tion. Besides,  it  was  then  full  moonlight,  and  the 
sides  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  were  all  black, 
while  the  sides  of  the  prize  were  all  yellow.  Yet, 
for  the  greater  security,  I showed  the  signal  of  our 


THE  RICHARD  AND  THE  SERAPIS.  27 

reconnoissance,  by  putting  out  three  lanterns,  one  at 
the  head,  another  at  the  stern,  and  the  third  in  the 
middle,  in  a horizontal  line.  Every  tongue  cried 
that  he  was  firing  into  the  wrong  ship,  but  nothing 
availed;  he  passed  round  firing  into  the  Bon-Homme 
Richard’s  head,  stern,  and  broadside,  and  by  one  of 
his  volleys  killed  several  of  my  best  men,  and  mor- 
tally wounded  a good  officer  on  the  forecastle  only. 
My  situation  was  really  deplorable;  the  Bon-Homme 
Richard  received  various  shot  under  water  from  the 
Alliance ; the  leak  gained  on  the  pumps,  and  the  fire 
increased  much  on  board  both  ships.  Some  officers 
persuaded  me  to  strike,  of  whose  courage  and  good 
sense  I entertain  a high  opinion.  My  treacherous 
master-at-arms  let  loose  all  my  prisoners  without  my 
knowledge,  and  my  prospects  became  gloomy  indeed. 
I would  not,  however,  give  up  the  point.  The 
enemy’s  mainmast  began  to  shake,  their  firing  de- 
creased fast,  ours  rather  increased,  and  the  British 
colours  were  struck  at  half  an  hour  past  ten  o’clock. 

This  prize  proved  to  be  the  British  ship  of  war 
the  Serapis,  a new  ship  of  forty-four  guns,  built  on 
the  most  approved  construction,  with  two  complete 
batteries,  one  of  them  eighteen-pounders,  and  com- 
manded by  the  brave  Commodore  Richard  Pearson.  I 
had  yet  two  enemies  to  encounter  far  more  formidable 
than  the  Britons, — I mean  fire  and  water.  The 
Serapis  was  attacked  only  by  the  first,  but  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard  was  assailed  by  both ; there  was 
five  feet  water  in  the  hold,  and  though  it  was  moderate 
from  the  explosion  of  so  much  gunpowder,  yet  the  three 
pumps  that  remained  could  with  difficulty  only  keep 
the  water  from  gaining.  The  fire  broke  out  in  various 


28  CONDITION  OF  THE  RICHARD. 

parts  of  the  ship  in  spite  oi  all  the  water  that  eould 
be  thrown  in  to  quench  it,  and  at  length  broke  out 
as  low  as  the  powder-magazine,  and  within  a few 
inches  of  the  powder.  In  that  dilemma  I took  out 
the  powder  upon  deck,  ready  to  be  thrown  overboard 
at  the  last  extremity,  and  it  was  ten  o’clock  the  next 
day  (the  24th)  before  the  fire  was  entirely  extinguish- 
ed. With  respect  to  the  situation  of  the  Bon-Homme 
Richard,* the  rudder  was  cut  entirely  off,  the  stern- 
frame  and  transoms  were  almost  entirely  cut  away, 
and  the  timbers  by  the  lower  deck,  especially  from 
the  mainmast  towards  the  stern,  being  greatly  de- 
cayed with  age,  were  mangled  beyond  my  power  of 
description,  and  a person  must  have  been  an  eye- 
witness to  form  a just  idea  of  the  tremendous  scene 
of  carnage,  wreck,  and  ruin,  which  every  where  ap- 
peared. Humanity  cannot  hut  recoil  from  the  pros- 
pect of  such  finished  horror,  and  lament  that  war 
should  he  capable  of  producing  such  fatal  conse- 
quences. 

After  the  carpenters,  as  well  as  Captain  Cottineau 
and  other  men  of  sense,  had  well  examined  and  sur- 
veyed the  ship,  (which  was  not  finished  before  five  in 
the  evening,)  I found  every  person  to  be  convinced  that 
it  was  impossible  to  keep  the  Bon-Homme  Richard 
afloat,  so  as  to  reach  a port,  if  the  wind  should  in- 
crease, it  being  then  only  a very  moderate  breeze.  I 
had  but  little  time  to  remove  my  wounded,  which 
now  became  unavoidable,  and  which  was  effected  in 
the  course  of  the  night  and  next  morning.  I was 
determined  to  keep  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  afloat, 
and,  if  possible,  to  bring  her  into  port.  For  that 
purpose,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Pallas  continued 


ARRIVAL  A*T  THE  TEXEL.  29 

on  board  with  a party  of  men,  to  attend  the  pumps, 
with  boats  in  waiting,  ready  to  take  them  on  board 
in  case  the  water  should  gain  on  them  too  fast.  The 
wind  augmented  in  the  night,  and  the  next  day 
the  25th,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  prevent  the 
good  old  ship  from'  sinking.  They  did  not  abandon 
her  till  after  nine  o’clock ; the  water  was  then  up  to 
the  lower  deck,  and  a little  after  ten  I saw,  with  in- 
expressible grief,  the  last  glimpse  of  the  Bon-Homme 
Richard.  No  lives  were  lost  with  the  ship,  but  it 
was  impossible  to  save  the  stores  of  any  sort  what- 
ever. I lost  even  the  best  part  of  my  clothes,  books, 
and  papers;  and  several  of  my  officers  lost  all  their 
clothes  and  effects. 

Having  thus  endeavoured  to  give  a clear  and 
simple  relation  of  the  circumstances  and  events  that 
have  attended  the  little  armament  under  my  com- 
mand, I shall  freely  submit  my  conduct  therein  to 
the  censure  of  my  superiors  and  the  impartial  public. 
I beg  leave,  however,  to  observe,  that  the  force  that 
was  put  under  my  command  was  far  from  being  well 
composed,  and  as  the  great  majority  of  the  actors  in 
it  have  appeared  bent  on  the  pursuit  of  interest  only, 
I am  exceedingly  sorry  that  they  and  I have  been  at 
all  concerned.” 

Such  is  the  despatch  which  Commodore  Jones 
transmitted  from  the  Texel  to  Dr.  Franklin,  and. 
afterwards  to  Congress. 

The  Commodore  now  took  the  command  of  the 
Serapis,  erected  jury-masts,  and  with  some  difficulty 
conveyed  his  prizes  to  the  Texel.  Paul  Jones,  who 
never  suffered  the  interests  of  his  fellow-citizens  to 
be  lost  sight  of,  exerted  all  his  influence  with  the 

3# 


30  ESCAPE  FROM  THE  BRITISH  FLEET. 

French  court  to  have  it  arranged  that  his  prisoners 
should  he  exchanged  against  American  prisoners  in 
England,  and  he  completely  succeeded.  Dr.  Frank- 
lin, the  minister  of  the  United  States  at  Paris,  soon 
cheered  his  heart,  by  writing  to  him,  that  “ he  had 
then  completed  the  glorious  work  he  had  so  nobly 
begun,  by  giving  liberty  to  all  the  Americans  who 
then  languished  for  it  in  England.’’  On  this  occa- 
sion, too,  the  King  of  France  directed  his  ambassa- 
dor at  the  Hague  to  communicate  to  .Commodore 
Paul  Jones  the  high  personal  esteem  he  bore  for  his 
character,  especially  for  his  disinterestedness  and 
humanity. 

The  Captain  of  the  Alliance  being  ordered  to  Paris, 
to  answer  for  his  insubordination,  Jones  took  the 
command  of  that  vessel ; but  he  now  found  himself 
environed  with  dangers.  The  Dutch  were  summoned 
to  deliver  him  up  to  the  vengeance  of  the  English 
government,  as  a pirate  and  a rebel ; and  they  were 
most  reluctantly  constrained  to  order  him  out  to  sea, 
where  an  English  squadron  was  watching  to  pounce 
upon  him  as  their  certain  prey.  The  acceptance  of  a 
commission  from  the  King  of  France  would  have 
saved  him  from  this  dilemma , and  the  ambassador 
from  his  Most  Christian  Majesty  repeatedly  urged 
him  to  adopt  that  alternative,  but  he  thought  his 
honour  engaged  to  decline  it.  He  would  not,  at 
whatever  risk,  abandon  the  flag  of  his  beloved 
America.  He,  however,  contrived  to  make  his 
escape,  passing  the  Straits  of  Dover,  and  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  before  the  very  beards  of  the  English  fleets. 

Towards  the  close  of  1780,  our  hero  sailed  for 
America,  in  the  Ariel,  with  important  despatches,  and 


THE  GOLD  SWORD. 


31 


having  encountered  in  his  passage  the  Triumph,  an 
English  vessel  of  twenty  guns,  he  forced  her  to  strike. 

A little  before  this  time,  the  King  of  France  had 
testified  his  approbation  of  Paul  Jones’s  services,  by 
presenting  him  with  a superb  gold  sword ; and  a letter 
from  M.  de  Sartaine  now  reached  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  requesting  liberty  to  decorate 
that  brave  officer  with  the  cross  of  the  order  of  mili- 
tary merit.”  The  demand  was  laid  before  Congress, 
and  a law  having  been  passed  on  the  27th  February, 
acceding  to  it,  he  was  formally  invested  by  the 
Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  at  a public  fete  given  to  the 
members  of  that  legislative  body.  In  April  follow- 
ing, on  the  report  of  a committee.  Congress  passed  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chevalier  Paul  Jones  ‘‘  for  the 
zeal,  prudence,  and  intrepidity  with  which  he  had 
sustained  the  honour  of  the  American  flag ; for  his 
bold  and  successful  enterprises  to  redeem  from  cap- 
tivity those  citizens  of  America  who  had  fallen  under 
the  power  of  the  enemy;  and,  in  general,  for  the 
good  conduct  and  eminent  services  by  which  he  had 
added  lustre  to  his  character,  and  to  the  arms  of 
America.” 

During  the  remainder  of  the  war  with  England, 
he  had  no  opportunity  to  signalize  himself.  After  it 
was  over,  Congress,  as  an  expression  of  gratitude, 
caused  a gold  medal  to  be  struck,  with  appropriate 
legends  and  devices,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  his 
valour  and  services.  The  annexed  engraving,  exe- 
cuted in  the  ruled  manner  from  a duplicate  of  the 
medal,  by  Mr.  Asa  Spencer,  the  inventor  of  the 
machine  for  medal  ruling,  gives  an  accurate  resem- 
blance of  it. 


32  MISSION  TO  DENMARK 

In  1787,  the  United  States  having  charged  the 
Chevalier  with  a mission  to  the  court  of  Denmark, 
he  set  sail  for  that  country  in  the  month  of  N ovember,  ^ 
and,  passing  through  Paris  in  his  way,  was  strongly 
solicited  to  assume  the  command  of  the  Russian  fleet 
in  the  Black  Sea.  Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Copen- 
hagen, a courier,  sent  express  by  the  Empress 
Catharine,  conveyed  to  him  an  urgent  invitation  to 
St.  Petersburgh.  Although  he  saw  many  reasons 
for  declining  to  engage  in  the  service  of  that  poten- 
tate, he  was  flattered  by  the  offer,  and  felt  himself 
bound  at  least  to  thank  her  Majesty  in  person.  He, 
therefore,  set  out  instantly  for  her  Court,  by  the  way 
of  Sweden  ; but  at  Greshelham  found  the  passage  of 
the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  blocked  up  by  ice.  After 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  proceed  to  Finland 
by  the  islands,  he  conceived  that  it  might  be  practi-  ^ 
cable  to  effect  his  object  by  doubling  the  ice  to  the 
southward.  The  enterprise  was  formidable,  and 
altogether  new;  but  our  hero  was  not  easily  daunted. 
Without  making  known  his  intentions  to  his  com- 
panions, he  set  sail  from  Greshelham  one  morning 
very  early,  in  an  open  boat  about  thirty  feet  long, 
followed  by  a little  one  to  haul  over  the  ice.  To- 
wards evening,  having  got  nearly  opposite  to  Stock- 
holm, our  adventurer,  producing  his  pistols,  ordered 
the  astonished  boatmen  to  pursue  the  route  which 
he  had  secretly  devised.  Resistance  was  vain,  and 
he  was  obeyed.  All  night  the  wind  was  favourable, 
and  they  hoped  to  reach  the  coast  of  Finland  in  the 
morning ; but  they  found  themselves  opposed  by  an 
impenetrable  barrier  of  ice.  Neither  was  it  possible, 
from  the  state  of  the  weather  to  return  The  only 


ADMIRAL  IN  THE  RUSSIAN  SERVICE.  33 

resource  was  to  make  for  the  Gulf  of  Finland. 
When  night  came  on,  they  steered  by  the  aid  of  a 
pocket-compass,  lighted  by  the  lamp  of  the  Chevalier’s 
carriage ; and,  at  the  end  of  four  days,  after  having 
lost  the  smaller  of  their  two  boats,  they  terminated 
a perilous  and  fatiguing  voyage  at  Revel,  in  Livonia. 

The  Chevalier  was  graciously  received  at  the  Court 
of  St.  Petersburgh;  and,  no  longer  opposing  the 
wishes  of  the  Empress,  attached  himself  to  her  ser- 
vice, under  this  single  condition,  “ That  he  should 
never  be  condemned  unheard.” 

He  proceeded,  without  delay,  with  the  rank  of  Rear 
Admiral,  to  take  the  command  of  the  fleet  stationed 
at  the  Liman,  or  mouth  of  the  Dneiper,  and  oppose 
the  Turkish  fleet  under  the  Captain  Pacha.  On  the 
26th  May,  1788,  he  hoisted  his  flag  on  board  the 
Wolodimer.  His  squadron  was  supported  by  a 
flotilla  under  the  Prince  of  Nassau,  and  land  forces 
under  Prince  Potemkin.  Our  limits  forbid  us  to 
follow  Admiral  Jones  through  this  campaign.  It 
afforded  him  many  opportunities  of  displaying  his 
characteristic  intrepidity  and  professional  skill ; but 
mean  jealousy  and  malignant  cabals  deprived  him  of 
much  well-earned  glory.  He  was,  however,  invested 
with  the  order  of  St.  Anne,  as  an  acknowledgment 
of  his  fidelity:  and,  on  his  arrival  at  St.  Petersburgh, 
he  was  told  that  he  was  destined  for  a more  important 
service.  Disgusted,  however,  by  the  intrigues  of 
selfish  men,  he  left  Russia  in  August,  1789,  and  never 
returned. 

The  remainder  of  his  days  he  spent  partly  in  Hol- 
land, and  partly  in  France.  He  collected  a number 

of  important  documents  relative  to  the  public  trans- 
E 


34 


JONES  WRITES  HIS  OWN  LIFE. 


actions  in  which  he  had  been  actively  concerned; 
and,  as  if  he  had  foreseen  that  he  was  not  to  be  long- 
lived,  he  devoted  much  of  his  leisure  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  his  affairs,  and  to  the  preparation  of  papers, 
which  should  exhibit  his  character  and  services  in 
their  true  light  to  his  friends  and  to  posterity. 

He  died  at  Paris  of  a dropsy  in  the  chest,  in  July, 
1792,  having  barely  completed  his  forty-fifth  year.  His 
funeral  was  attended  by  a deputation  of  the  National 
Assembly,  and  an  oration  was  pronounced  over  his 
tomb  by  M.  Marron. 

Among  the  Admiral’s  papers  were  found  memoirs 
of  his  life,  written  with  his  own  hand ; a most  inter- 
esting literary  production;  from  these  papers  the 
above  sketch  was  drawn  up.^ 

* Edinburgh  Encyclopaedia. 


ONES’  lieutenant 
in  the  famous  ac- 
tion with  the  Se- 
rapis,  is  the  subject 
of  the  present  me- 
moir. 

Richard  Dale 
was  born  on  the 
sixth  of  November, 
1756,  in  Norfolk 
county,  Virginia.  He  is  descended  from  a family 
highly  respectable,  though  not  wealthy.  His  parents 
were  both  natives  of  Virginia.  His  father  left  five 
children  of  whom  Richard  was  the  eldest.  Having 
manifested,  from  an  early  period  of  life,  a strong 

predilection  for  the  sea,  his  friends  were  induced  to 

35 


KICHAKD  DALE. 


36  IN  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE. 

comply  with  his  wishes.  Accordingly,  when  only 
twelve  years  of  age,  he  entered  on  hoard  a vessel 
commanded  by  his  uncle,  with  whom  he  sailed  from 
Norfolk  for  Liverpool,  in  November,  1768.  He  re- 
turned the  following  summer,  and  remained  at  home 
until  the  spring  of  1770,  when  he  was  bound  appren- 
tice to  colone  Thomas  Newton,  a respectable  mer- 
chant of  Norfolk.  In  the  employ  of  that  gentleman 
he  made  several  voyages  to  the  West  Indies,  during 
which  nothing  of  moment  occurred,  except  two  acci- 
dents, which  are  worthy  of  notice  only  as  being  the 
commencement  of  a series  of  misfortunes  that  awaited 
him.  The  first  was  a fall  which  he  received  from  the 
spars,  lying  across  the  belfry  and  the  gallows,  a dis- 
tance of  eighteen  or  twenty  feet,  without,  however, 
sustaining  any  material  injury.  The  other  was  of  a 
nature  no  less  formidable.  As  the  vessel  was  going 
rapidly  before  the  wind,  he  was  knocked  overboard  by 
the  jib-sheet,  and  was  not,  without  much  difficulty, 
rescued  from  so  perilous  a situation,  after  having 
been  in  the  water  about  an  hour. 

In  1775,  we  find  him  the  chief  officer  of  a valuable 
brig  belonging  to  Colonel  Newton,  in  which,  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  his  employer,  he  continued  to 
the  spring  of  the  following  year,  A period  had 
now  arrived  that  opened  to  his  adventurous  dis- 
position, prospects  much  more  congenial  and  tempt- 
ing than  those  which  arise  out  of  the  service  of 
the  merchant.  The  war  of  the  revolution  had 
commenced ; and  he  had  too  much  of  the  feelings 
and  temperament  of  the  soldier  to  remain  inactive. 
He  is,  accordingly,  presented  to  us  in  the  early  part 
of  the  year  1776,  engaged  as  lieutenant  on  board  a 


EARLY  LIFE. 

vessel  of  war,  belonging  to  the  state  of  Virginia, 
which  was  fitting  out  not  far  from  City  Point,  near 

Norfolk.  ' 

While  in  the  execution  of  his  orders  to  go  to 
Sandy  Point,  in  James  river,  in  a small  river  craft, 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  cannon,  he  was  captured 
by  a tender  belonging  to  the  Liverpool  frigate,  car 
ried  to  Norfolk,  and  put  on  board  a prison  ship,  in 
which  he  was  confined  for  several  weeks. 

During  the  time  he  remained  in  this  situation,  he 
was  visited  by  Bridges  Gutteridge,  who  had  been 
his  schoolmate,  but  who  had  not  yet  declared  in 
favour  of  the  popular  cause,  having  then  the  command 
of  a tender  in  the  service  of  the  enemy.  After  much 
solicitation,  and  many  plausible  and  seductive  argu- 
ments, our  young  adventurer  was  induced  to  join  the 
fortunes  of  his  former  companion  and  friend.  In 
May  (1776)  they  made  a cruise  together  up  the  river 
Rappahannock,  during  which  they  had  an  engage- 
ment with  several  pilot  boats,  and  were  happy  to 
escape,  with  the  loss  of  several  men  killed ; young 
Dale  himself  being  badly  wounded,  having  received 
a musket  ball  in  his  head.  He  was  carried  to  Nor- 
folk, where  he  was  confined  a long  time  by  his 
wound.  This  period  he  improved  to  the  salutary 
purposes  of  reflection,  and  of  firmly  resolving,  to 
use  his  own  words,  “ never  again  to  put  himself  in 
the  way  of  the  balls  of  his  country.’’  Soon  after  his 
recovery,  upon  his  return  from  Bermuda— whither 
he  had  gone  with  William  Gutteridge — he  was  cap- 
tured by  Captain  John  Barry,  commander  of  the 
United  States  brig  Lexington,  and  on  the  same  day 
entered  as  a midshipman  on  board  said  brig,  This 

4 


38  CAPTURE  OP  THE  LEXINGTON. 

occurred  in  July  1776.  Not  long  afterwards^  the 
brig,  whilst  cruising,  was  struck  with  lightning; 
Dale,  with  many  others,  was  prostrated  senseless, 
upon  the  deck.  They  were  all,  however,  providen- 
tially restored  in  a few  minutes.  Soon  after  this  the 
brig  arrived  at  Philadelphia.  Dale  still  continued  in 
the  same  vessel  the  command  of  which  now  devolved 
on  Captain  Hallock — rCaptain  Barry  having  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  a frigate. 

The  Lexington  sailed  in  the  autumn  of  1776  for 
Cape  Frangois,  and  a cruise.  On  her  return  to  the 
United  States,  in  December  following,  she  was  cap- 
tured by  the  Liverpool  frigate,  off  the  capes  of  Vir- 
ginia. In  consequence  of  a sudden  and  tremendous 
gale,  the  captors  could  only  take  out  the  captain  and 
five  of  the  crew : Dale,  who  was  then  master’s  mate, 
being  one  of  the  number.  The  officers  and  crew, 
who  remained  on  board,  retook  the  brig  and  carried 
her  into  Baltimore.  Dale  was  landed, with  some  of 
his  fellow  prisoners,  at  Cape  Henlopen,  in  January 
1777.  He  immediately  repaired  to  Philadelphia, 
which  he  had  no  sooner  reached,  than  he  was  ordered 
to  join  the  Lexington  again,  now  commanded  by 
Captain  Henry  Johnson.  This  vessel  sailed  from 
Baltimore  for  Bordeaux,  in  February  or  March,  with 
despatches.  Her  passage  was  short  and  very  suc- 
cessful, many  valuable  prizes  being  taken  by  her, 
without  delay  she  proceeded  to  Nantz,  to  join  the 
United  States  ship  Reprisal,  of  sixteen  six-pounders, 
Captain  Wicks,  and  a cutter,  commanded  by  Samuel 
Nicholson,  carrying  ten  four-pounders;  the  three 
vessels  to  cruise  in  company,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Wicks. 


ACTION  WITH  A BRITISH  CUTTER.  39 

This  little  squadron  sailing  from  Nantz  on  a cruise, 
in  May,  (1777,)  took  and  sunk  many  prizes,  and  did 
great  injury  to  the  coasting  trade  of  the  British 
islands.  In  the  English  channel  they  fell  in  with  an 
English  seventy-four  which  gave  them  chase.  In 
consequence  of  this  it  became  necessary  for  the  ves- 
sels of  the  squadron  to  separate.  They  soon  after- 
wards reached  French  ports;  the  Reprisal  having 
had  a very  narrow  escape,  which  was  not  effected 
without  the  loss  of  her  guns. 

After  a detention  of  the  vessels,  by  the  French 
government,  for  more  than  two  months — for  some 
cause  which  was  never  explained — young  Dale  sailed 
in  the  Lexington  from  Morlaixfor  the  United  States, 
on  the  18th  September,  1777.  On  the  following 
morning,  discovering  a cutter  ahead,  lying  by,  they 
made  all  sail  and  stood  directly  for  her.  They  soon 
discovered  her  to  be  an  English  cutter,  mounting  ten 
six-pounders.  An  action  was  commenced  by  the 
cutter,  between  seven  and  eight  o’clock,  A.  M. ; at 
which  time,  such  had  been  the  extreme  negligence  of 
the  commanders  of  the  Lexington,  in  not  making  the 
necessary  preparations  for  action,  that  there  was  not 
even  a match  ready.  They  were,  therefore,  obliged 
to  fire  their  guns  by  means  of  their  muskets,  until 
matters  were  in  a state  of  better  preparation.  The  ac- 
tion became  very  warm.  A calm  succeeding,  the  Lex 
ington  could  not  get  as  near  the  enemy  as  was  wished. 
The  action  was  sustained  for  nearly  two  hours  with 
the  most  determined  resolution.  This,  considering 
the  manifold  and  heavy  disadvantages  under  which 
the  American  vessel  laboured,  was  not  a little  aston- 
ishing, and  must  be  regarded  as  evincive  of  that 


40  SECOND  CAPTURE  OF  THE  LEXINGTON. 

heroic,  unconquerable  gallantry,  which  is  now  an 
acknowledged  characteristic  of  American  seaman. 
Being,  however,  much  cut  to  pieces,  with  the  loss  of 
several  brave  officers  and  men,  and  having  expended 
almost  their  last  shot,  the  American  commander 
deemed  it  prudent  to  avail  himself  of  a breeze,  which 
just  then  sprang  up,  to  crowd  sail  and  get  off.  In 
this  he  succeeded  for  a short  time;  but,  between  one 
and  two  o’clock,  P.  M.,  the  cutter  overtook  him. 
The  action  was  renewed  with  increased  obstinacy  on 
both  sides.  Having  maintained  the  unequal  conflict 
for  one  hour — not  only  the  shot  of  every  description, 
but  all  the  iron,  and  other  articles  which  could  he 
used  as  a substitute  for  shot,  being  expended — the 
brig  reduced  literally  to  a wreck — the  first  lieutenant, 
sailing-master,  captain  of  marines,  and  a number  of 
men  being  killed,  and  many  more  officers  and  men 
severely  wounded, — no  alternative  was  left  but  to 
strike  their  flag  to  the  cutter. 

Notwithstanding  its  unsuccessful  issue,  we  cannot 
but  consider  this  action  as  reflecting  lustre  upon  the 
American  name ; particularly  when  we  take  into  view, 
the  great  superiority  in  the  crew  of  the  cutter,  which 
not  only  exceeded  that  of  the  Lexington  in  numbers, 
but  consisted  entirely  of  picked  men.  Of  the  Lex- 
ington, on  the  other  hand,  both  the  officers  and  crew 
were  without  experience,  but  few  of  them  having  ever 
been  in  an  engagement  before. 

About  three  or  four  days  after  this  action,  the  sur- 
\dving  officers  and  crew  of  the  Lexington  arrived  in 
Plymouth.  The  former  underwent  a rigorous  ex 
amination  before  twelve  judges,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  ascertain  to  what  country  they  belonged. 


DALE  IN  PRISON. 


41 


Both  officers  and  men  were  committed  to  Mill  prison, 
upon  a charge  of  high  treason.  In  this  loathsome 
abode,  they  were  subjected  to  a most  cruel  and  severe 
confinement.  They  were  exposed,  moreover,  to 
every  indignity  which  was  thought  due  to  men  con- 
sidered as  rebels,  and  suffered  every  privation  that 
could  embitter  the  loss  of  liberty,  or  add  to  the  pain 
and  mortification  so  intolerable  to  their  high  and 
patriotic  spirits,  of  being  rendered  useless  to  theii« 
country,  at  this  most  interesting  and  momentous  crisis. 
In  this  situation  they  remained  four  or  five  months, 
when,  in  consequence  of  a general  complaint  respect- 
ing the  treatment  of  American  prisoners,  and  of  the 
sympathy  which  their  sufferings  had  excited  even  in 
the  hearts  of  their  enemies,  the  sum  of  sixteen  or 
seventeen  thousand  pounds  sterling,  was  subscribed 
for  the  benefit  of  these  unfortunate  men.  The  sub- 
scribers appointed  a committee  to  inquire  into  the 
matter,  who,  with  the  sanction  of  the  government, 
visited  the  prison,  supplied  the  Americans  with  money, 
provisions,  and  clothing;  in  short,  with  every  thing 
that  could  alleviate  their  sufferings,  and  render  their 
condition  supportable.  It  is  gratifying  to  record 
such  acts  of  disinterested  philanthropy : they  dignify 
and  ennoble  our  nature,  and  are  worthy  of  universal 
imitation.  Notwithstanding  their  situation  was  thus 
rendered  as  comfortable  as  a state  of  confinement 
could  be,  they  were  determined  upon  attempting  an 
escape.  Captain  Johnson  having  communicated  his 
plan  to  young  Dale,  and  every  arrangement  having 
been  made,  they  effected  their  purpose  at  night,  in  the 
month  of  February,  1778.  After  wandering  about 
for  more  than  a week,  encountering  every  difficulty, 
F 4* 


42  ESCAPES  TO  FRANCE. 

and  suffering  still  more  severe  privations,  they  deter- 
mined, as  the  best  means  of  avoiding  detection,  to 
divide  their  company  and  pursue  different  courses. 
After  a variety  of  adventures.  Dale  and  his  com- 
panions reached  London,  and  immediately  embarked 
on  board  a trading  vessel  bound  to  Dunkirk.  The 
tide  being  ahead  they  could  not  proceed  far.  On  the 
same  day,  while  at  anchor,  an  officer,  with  a press 
•gang  came  on  board,  and  arrested  them  on  suspicion  of 
being  prisoners  from  Mill  prison.  The  following  day 
they  underwent  an  examination,  after  which  they  were 
re-committed  to  the  same  prison  from  which  they  had 
escaped.  Here,  for  forty  days,  they  were  confined  in  a 
dungeon,  appropriately  denominated  the  “ black  hole.” 
After  the  expiration  of  this  term,  they  were  restored  to 
the  more  enlarged  liberty  of  the  prison,  but  not  to  all 
those  privileges  and  indulgences  which  had  formerly 
rendered  their  situation  comparatively  comfortable. 

About  three  months  afterwards.  Dale  was  again 
committed  to  the  “ black  hole,”  for  singing  what  were 
termed  rebellious  songs.  In  February  1779,  he 
again  escaped  from  prison,  repaired  without  delay  to 
London,  where,  by  fortunate  management  and  ad- 
dress, he  procured  a passport  from  the  proper  autho- 
rity to  go  to  France.  In  a very  short  time  he  ar- 
rived at  L’ Orient,  where  he  joined,  in  the  character 
of  master’s  mate,  the  renowned  Paul  Jones,  then 
commanding  the  American  ship  “ Bon-Homme  Rich- 
ard.” We  have  now  reached  a most  interesting 
epoch  in  the  life  of  our  adventurer.  He  had  hitherto 
acted  in  a very  subordinate  capacity,  contending  with 
difficulties  the  most  discouraging,  and  adversities  that 
would  have  subdued  tc  despondency,  a spirit  less 


DALE  APPOINTED  FIRST  LIEUTENANT.  43 

resolute  and  inflexible  than  his.  His  bosom  now 
heat  high  with  exultation  at  the  opening  of  brighter 
prospects.  He  beheld  in  the  character  of  his  com- 
mander, a pledge  of  happier  fortunes,  and  enjoyed, 
in  anticipation,  a brilliant  career  of  glory.  After 
three  months  of  unremitting  employment,  in  manning 
the  Bon-Homme  Richard,  in  which  great  difficulty 
was  experienced,  Dale  was  selected  by  the  discrimi- 
nating eye  of  Captain  Jones,  to  be  his  first  lieutenant. 
This  mark  of  approbation,  from  one  who  was  so 
good  a judge  of  merit,  and  knew  so  well  how  to  ap- 
preciate it,  gratified  his  ambition,  and  encouraged 
and  animated  his  hopes  of  fame. 

The  Bon-Homme  Richard  sailed  on  a cruise  about 
the  latter  end  of  July  1779,  in  company  with  the 
Alliance  of  thirty-six  guns,  the  Pallas  of  thirty-two 
guns,  the  brig  Revenge  of  sixteen  guns,  and  a cutter 
of  ten  guns — all  under  the  command  of  Paul  Jones. 
They  cruised  very  successfully  for  some  time  off  the 
coast  of  Ireland,  when,  upon  consultation  with  the 
different  commanders,  except  Captain  Landais,  of  the 
Alliance,  who,  on  account  of  some  misunderstanding, 
declined  any  communication  with  Captain  Jones,  it 
was  determined  to  proceed  to  the  North  sea  with  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard,  the  Pallas,  and  the  Revenge. 
The  town  of  Leith  being  marked  out  as  the  first 
object  of  attack,  every  preparation  was  made  to  set 
fire  to  it,  unless  the  extremity  should  be  prevented  by 
a compliance  with  their  terms — to  wit,  a ransom  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling. 
F ortunately  for  the  town,  when  they  were  within  a 
short  distance  of  it,  a violent  gale  sprung  up  from 
W.  S.  W.,  which  obliged  them  to  run  down  the 


44  CRUISE  ON  THE  COAST  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Firth,  and  go  to  sea.  Two  or  three  days  afterwards, 
when  off  North  Shields,  every  thing  was  prepared  to 
burn  the  shipping,  and  the  harbour,  but  the  captains  of 
the  Pallas  and  Revenge,  thinking  the  adventure  too 
hazardous,  it  was  abandoned. 

Since  the  commencement  of  their  cruise,  they  had 
taken  and  destroyed  many  valuable  vessels,  and 
proved  a most  serious  annoyance  to  the  enemy’s  trade. 

We  come  now  to  the  most  prominent  circumstance 
in  the  life  of  our  subject. — We  allude  to  the  engage- 
ment between  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  and  the  Se- 
rapis,  an  English  forty-four — an  engagement  which 
was  certainly  one  of  the  most  interesting  ever  fought ; 
and  for  deeds  of  gallant  intrepidity,  and  noble  daring, 
is  not  surpassed,  if  equalled,  by  any  in  the  annals  of 
naval  history.  Having  given  Jones’s  own  account 
of  this  battle  in  the  previous  article,  we  shall  here 
notice  it  more  briefly. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  September,  1779,  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard,  the  Alliance,  the  Pallas,  and  the 
Revenge,  being  off  Flamborough  head;  on  the  north 
east  coast  of  England,  a fleet  of  several  hundred  ves- 
sels was  descried.  The  Alliance  joined  the  squadron 
that  afternoon,  not  having  been  seen  before  since  she 
parted  company  off  Ireland.  Her  captain  refused 
obedience  to  the  signals  from  the  Bon-Homme  Rich- 
ard, during  the  chase,  and  repeatedly  fired  into  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard  during  the  action.  The  Re- 
venge took  no  part  in  the  action.  The  chase  was 
discovered  to  be  the  Baltic  fleet,  homeward  bound, 
under  convoy  of  the  Serapis,  of  forty-four,  and  the 
Countess  of  Scarborough  of  twenty  guns.  The 
commander  of  the  Serapis  made  a signal  for  the 


ACTION  WITH  THE  SERAP1&.  45 

merchant  ships  to  stand  in  for  the  shore.  After  some 
manoeuvring  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  which  did  not 
evince  a disposition  to  court  an  engagement,  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard  brought  the  Serapis  to  close  action : 
about  the  same  time  Captain  Cottineau,  of  the  Pallas, 
engaged  the  Countess  of  Scarborough.  About  ten 
P.  M.,  the  bowsprit  of  the  Serapis  got  foul  of  the 
mizen  rigging  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard.  While 
in  this  situation,  the  two  ships  were  lashed  together, 
the  starboard  bow  of  the  former  to  the  starboard 
quarter  of  the  latter.  A boarding  party  from  the 
Serapis  attempted  to  board.  The  officer  who  headed 
the  boarders,  and  many  men,  having  been  killed,  the 
rest  fell  back.  The  action  now  became  very  warm. 
The  Serapis  let  go  her  anchor,  expecting  that  the 
two  ships  would  clear  each  other.  She  then  brought 
up  with  her  head  to  the  wind* — the  Bon-Homme 
Richard  with  her  stern  to  the  wind  alongside  of  each 
other.  They  remained  in  that  situation  till  the  Sera- 
pis struck  her  colours,  which  was  done  about  twelve 
o’clock  at  night. 

Properly  to  appreciate  this  splendid  victory,  we 
must  take  into  view  the  great  superiority  of  the  enemy 
in  the  strength  of  his  vessel,  the  number  of  his  guns, 
the  weight  of  his  metal,  and  the  amount  of  his  crew; 
add  to  this  the  disadvantages  under  which  the  action 
was  sustained  for  a very  considerable  time  on  the 
part  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard. 

The  Serapis  was  what  is  denominated  a double 
decked  forty-four  gun  ship — she  showed  two  rows 
of  ports.  She  was  almost  a new  vessel,  and,  in 
every  respect,  one  of  the  finest,  or,  to  speak  more 
technically,  one  of  the  warmest  frigates  of  her  class. 


46  FORCE  OF  THE  SHIPS. 

The  Bon-Homme  Richard  was  an  old  ship,  Having 
made  many  voyages  to  the  East  Indies,  for  which 
trade  she  was  originally  designed.  On  the  score  of 
tonnage  both  vessels  were  about  equal. 

The^Serapis,  though  rated  a forty-four,  mounted  a 
greater  number  of  guns ; she  carried  twenty  eighteen 
pounders  on  her  lower  deck,  twenty-two  nine 
pounders  on  her  upper  deck,  and  sixes  on  her  quarter 
deck  and  forecastle — the  precise  number  we  are  un- 
able to  state.  The  Bon-Homme  Richard  carried  forty- 
two  guns — six  eighteen-pounders  on  her  lower  deck, 
twenty-eight  twelves  on  her  upper  deck,  and  eight 
nines  on  her  quarter  deck  and  forecastle.  With  re- 
spect to  the  crews  of  the  ships,  they  nominally,  were 
equal ; but  from  that  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard 
there  had  been  sent  previously  to  the  action,  several 
■detachments  to  man  prizes.  Besides  this,  just  before 
discovering  the  Baltic  fleet,  a second  lieutenant,  a 
midshipman,  and  six  men,  were  despatched  in  a pilot 
boat  to  take  some  small  vessels  that  were  in 
sight;  these  did  not  return  till  after  the  action ; so 
that  the  crew  was  considerably  reduced ; and  there 
was  left  on  board  but  one  lieutenant,  and  a verv 
inadequate  number  of  subordinate  officers.  The  crew 
of  this  ship,  moreover,  was  a heterogeneous  com- 
pound of  Americans,  and  natives,  and  subjects  of  al- 
most all  the  European  nations— so  that  in  conversa- 
tion many  of  them  could  not  understand  each  other. 

Besides  these  original  disadvantages,  there  were 
others  of  a more  alarming  nature,  which  were  the 
consequence  of  accident  during  the  battle,  or  of 
damage  received  from  the  enemy,  under  which,  how- 
ever, the  bloody  conflict  was  maintained  for  one  hour. 


SINKING  CONDITION  OF  THE  RICHARD.  47 

Two  of  the  eighteen  pounders  on  the  lower  deck 
burst  the  first  fire,  and  did  considerable  damage ; 
they  blew  up  part  of  the  upper  gun-deck.  The  guns 
in  that  direction  were  no  longer  serviceable.  Many 
men  were  killed  and  wounded  by  the  accident. 
About  an  hour  before  the  enemy  struck  their  colours, 
it  was  reported  and  believed  on  board  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard,  that  she  was  sinking.  So  great 
was  the  consequent  alarm  that  the  master  at  arms 
let  loose  all  the  prisoners,  who  had  been  confined  in 
the  after  hold,  that  they  might,  in  the  general  effort 
to  preserve  life,  take  care  of  themselves.  They  be- 
came exceedingly  terrified,  and  occasioned  much 
confusion  on  board.  The  pumps  were  constantly  at 
work.  The  carpenter  was  ordered  into  the  pump- 
well  to  ascertain  the  depth  of  water  in  the  ship. 
His  report  was,  that  it  was  up  to  his  chin.  Lieute- 
nant Dale  was  then  ordered  down  to  the  lower  deck, 
to  see  how  near  the  water  was  to  the  lower  ports. 
To  allay  the  excessive  alarm,  he  reported  that  he  did 
not  perceive  that  she  had  settled  much  in  the  water. 
At  this  critical  juncture,  one  of  the  captains,  who  had 
been  left  out  of  confinement  jumped  on  board  the 
Serapis,  and  informed  her  captain,  that  if  he  would 
hold  out  a little  longer  the  American  ship  must  strike 
or  sink ; adding,  that  in  order  to  give  them  a chance 
for  their  lives,  all  the  prisoners  had  been  released. 
At  this  dreadful  and  critical  moment,  moreover,  the 
action  on  the  part  of  the  American  ship  was  com- 
pletely at  a stand,  in  consequence  of  the  communica- 
tion with  the  magazine  being  stopped.  The  sentinels 
who  were  placed  in  the  passage  leading  to  the  maga- 
zine, seeing  many  strange  faces,  deemed  it  prudent  to 


48  PRISONERS  RELEASED. 

bar  all  access  to  it.  Lieutenant  Dale  went  below  tD 
ascertain  the  cause  of  withholding  the  powder.  He 
now,  for  the  first  time,  knew  that  the  prisoners  had 
been  let  out.  Having  explained  the  matter  to  the 
sentinels,  and  taken  the  proper  precautions  against  a 
recurrence  of  the  difficulty  he  returned  to  the  deck. 
By  this  time  the  contest  was  reduced  to  three  guns  on 
the  enemy’s  lower  deck,  and  three  on  the  quarter 
deck  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard. 

About  this  period  a circumstance  occurred,  which, 
as  it  is  characteristic  of  Captain  Jones,  may  be  worthy 
of  notice.  The  surgeon  of  the  ship  came  up  from  the 
cock-pit  in  great  apprehension,  and  asked  the  Captain 
if  he  would  not  strike,  as  the  vessel  was  sinking? 
“What!  doctor,”  said  Jones,  “would  you  have  me 
strike  to  a drop  of  water  ? Here,  help  me  get  this 
gun  over.”  The  doctor,  however,  not  caring  to 
step  beyond  the  sphere  of  his  immediate  duty,  soon 
found  his  way  back  to  the  cock-pit. 

Our  readers  will,  no  doubt,  inquire  after  the  fate 
of  the  other  vessels  originally  in  company  with  the 
Bon-Homme  Richard.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the 
Pallas  engaged  the  Countess  of  Scarborough.  The 
action  was  maintained  for  some  time  with  great  spirit. 
Victory,  at  length,  declared  in  favour  of  the  Pallas, 
the  American  ship.  It  is  with  pain  that  we  take  any 
notice  of  Captain  Landais,  of  the  Alliance ; but  his 
conduct  is  a necessary  link  in  the  chain  of  our  narra- 
tive. Besides,  a statement  of  it  is  necessary  to  account 
for  the  comparatively  unfavourable  result  of  the 
engagement — unfavourable  so  far  as  regards  the  dis- 
appointment of  the  hopes  of  the  American  officers,  of 
taking  or  destroying  the  whole  of  the  convoy. 


TREACHERY  OF  LANDAIS.  49 

Landais  paid  no  regard  to  the  signals  from  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard  during  the  chase  and  action;  but 
at  the  commencement  of  the  action  the  Alliance  took 
her  station  between  the  Serapis  and  Bon-Homme 
Richard,  and  the  Countess  of  Scarborough  and  Pal- 
las. In  this  situation  she  remained  perfectly  inactive 
and  aloof  from  danger,  until  the  Countess  of  Scar- 
borough struck  to  the  Pallas;  whereupon,  Landais 
made  sail  for  the  Pallas,  to  know  what  ship  she  had 
taken,  and  also  to  ascertain  what  ship  was  engaged 
with  the  Bon-Homme  Richard.  Upon  receiving  the 
information  sought  for,  he  made  sail  towards  the 
latter  ship,  with  the  intention,  as  he  afterwards  said, 
of  assisting  her.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  he 
reached  her;  and  when  he  did,  he  was  hailed  and 
ordered  to  lay  the  Serapis  aboard  on  the  larboard 
side — ^but,  notwithstanding  the  night  signals  were 
made,  and  the  night  was  sufficiently  light  to  discover 
the  relative  situation  of  the  two  ships — disregarding 
his  orders,  he  fired  a broadside  into  the  Bon-Homme 
Richard,  which  killed  her  master’s  mate,  boatswain’s 
mate,  and  wounded  many  of  her  men,  without  doing 
any  injury  to  the  enemy.  After  this  Landais  stood 
some  distance  on  his  course,  and  then  tacking,  ran 
down  athwart  the  stern  of  the  Serapis,  and  the  Bon- 
Homme  Richard’s  bows,  and  fired  another  broadside, 
which  raked  both  ships. 

Shortly  after  this,  the  Serapis  struck  her  colours. 
Lieutenant  Dale  swung,  by  means  of  a rope,  from 
the  deck  of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard  to  that  of  the 
Serapis.  He  was  the  first  on  board,  and  was  follow- 
ed by  a midshipman  and  several  men.  There  was 
but  one  man  on  the  deck  of  the  Serapis  at  this  time; 

G 5 


50  DALE  WOUNDED. 

the  rest  were  below.  Those  on  the  upper  gun-deck, 
not  knowing  that  their  flag  was  struck,  made  a feeble 
resistance,  which  was  soon  overcome,  and  quiet  pos- 
session taken  of  the  ship. 

The  condition  of  the  ships  was  such  as  might  be 
expected  from  the  length  and  sanguinary  obstinacy 
of  the  engagement.  They  had  been  lying  nearly  tw'o 
hours  alongside  of  each  other,  at  such  close  quarters, 
that  in  loading  the  guns,  the  rammers  touched  the 
side,  or  were  protruded  into  the  port-holes  of  the 
other  ship.  The  wadding  lodged  in  the  rigging*and 
hulls ; and,  at  times,  both  vessels  were  literally  en 
veloped  in  flames. 

During  the  action  one  of  the  men  in  the  main-top 
of  the  Bon-Homme  Richard,  ventured  out  on  the 
main-yard,  which  passed  directly  over  the  main- 
hatchway of  the  Serapis,  and  dropped  some  hand- 
grenades  into  her.  These  coming  in  contact  with 
some  cartridges  which  had  been  left  on  the  decks,  the 
whole  exploded,  and  the  consequences  were  most 
destructive,  very  few  of  those  who  were  near  escaping 
unhurt. 

Lieutenant  Dale,  after  taking  possession  of  the 
ship,  found  himself  deprived  of  the  use  of  one  of  his 
legs,  in  consequence  of  a severe  wound  which  he  had 
received  in  the  ancle,  but  which  he  had  scarcely  felt 
during  the  bustle  of  the  engagement.  On  board  tbe 
Bon-Homme  Richard  there  were  forty-nine  killed,  and 
sixty-seven  wounded  ; many  of  the  latter  having  lost 
their  arms  and  legs.  According  to  the  accounts  of 
the  officers  of  the  Serapis,  at  the  time,  her  amount 
of  killed  and  wounded  were  precisely  the  same. 

The  Bon-Homme  Richard  being  in  a very  shattered 


DALE  IN  FRANCE. 


51 


condition,  and  it  being  impossible  to  free  her  of  water, 
it  was  thought  best  to  abandon  her.  Her  crew  was 
accordingly  removed  to  the  Serapis.  She  sunk  the 
next  day.  The  rest  of  the  squadron  sailed  for  the 
Texel,  where  they  arrived  in  eight  or  ten  days 
Here  Captain  Jones  took  the  command  of  the  A1 
liance,  Landais  having  been  ordered  to  proceed  to 
Paris,  and  thence  to  America  to  stand  a trial  for  his 
extraordinary  conduct  during  the  cruise  and  action. 
The  captain  of  the  Pallas  took  command  of  the 
Serapis.  The  Alliance  sailed  from  the  Texel,  in 
January  1780,  on  a cruise,  and  arrived  at  L’Orient 
in  the  following  March.  Jones  went  to  Paris; — 
Landais,  who  arrived  at  L’Orient  in  his  absence, 
availed  himself  of  this  opportunity  to  attempt  a re- 
covery of  the  command  of  the  Alliance.  By  tamper- 
ing with  many  of  the  officers  who  had  served  with 
him,  and  aided  by  the  influence  of  Arthur  Lee,  one 
of  our  public  functionaries  at  the  French  Court,  who 
was  not  well  disposed  towards  Jones,  he  succeeded 
in  attaining  his  object.  Landais  endeavoured  to  pre- 
vail upon  Lieutenant  Dale  to  join  him.  But  he 
remained  faithful  to  his  commander,  refusing  to  ac- 
knowledge the  authority  of  Landais,  and  avowed  him- 
self willing  and  anxious  to  attempt  the  recovery  of 
the  ship,  even  at  the  hazard  of  his  life.  The  King 
of  France  authorised  Jones  to  use  the  guns  of  the 
fort  to  stop  the  Alliance.  He  did  not,  however,  avail 
himself  of  this  authority,  as  he  was  unwilling  to 
hazard  the  serious  consequences  that  would  have 
ensued  to  the  ship  and  her  crew.  The  Alliance 
sailed  for  America  in  July. 

The  King  accommodated  Jones  with  the  Ariel,  a 


62 


DALE  ON  THE  DELAWARE. 

British  twenty-gun  ship  that  had  been  captured  by  a 
French  frigate.  After  some  time  spent  in  manning 
her,  and  preparing  her  for  sea,  they  sailed  for  America 
in  October.  They  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  they 
were  reduced  to  the  greatest  extremity  of  distress,  in 
consequence  of  a tremendous  gale.  They  were 
obliged  to  return  to  port,  where  they  refitted,  and 
sailing  again  for  America  about  the  1st  of  January, 
1781,  arrived  at  Philadelphia  on  the  eighteenth  of 
February  following.  In  May  1781,  the  bay  of  Dela- 
ware was  much  infested  by  the  refugees,  who  inter- 
cepted supplies  going  to  Philadelphia.  The  schooners 
belonging  to  the  state  were  armed  and  manned  from 
the  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Dale  was  ordered  by  Jones  to 
proceed  with  them  down  the  bay,  to  disperse  these 
marauders,  and  convoy  the  public  stores  to  the  city. 
This  service  was  successfully  executed. 

About  this  time  Jones  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  a seventy-four,  then  building  to  the  north- 
ward. He  solicited  Lieutenant  Dale  to  go  with  him ; 
a proposal  which  he  declined,  thinking  it  would  be  a 
long  time  before  she  would  be  ready  for  sea. 

In  June,  Lieutenant  Dale  was  appointed  to  the 
Trumbull  frigate,  of  thirty-two  guns,  commanded  by 
captain  James  Nicholson.  That  vessel  sailed  from 
the  Capes  of  Delaware,  some  time  in  July  1781. 
She  had  been  out  but  a few  hours,  when  she  fell  in 
with  a British  frigate  and  sloop  of  war.  They  gave 
chase  to  the  Trumbull.  The  latter  had  her  fore-top- 
mast  and  fore-topgallant-mast  carried  away  in  the 
chase,  and  was  otherwise  much  crippled  in  her  sails 
and  rigging.  The  night  being  exceedingly  dark  and 
stormy.  Captain  Nicholson  supposed  he  might  elude 


IN  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE.  53 

the  enemy  by  putting  his  ship  about  before  the  wind ; 
this  was  done — but  he  had  not  proceeded  far  before 
he  found  his  ship  immediately  alongside  of  the  enemy, 
who  seemed  to  have  anticipated  this  manoeuvre.  So 
great  was  the  surprise,  that  the  Trumbull  was  en- 
tirely unprepared — the  men  not  at  their  quarters,  and 
it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  they  could  man  even  a 
few  of  their  guns.  Under  these  circumstances,  having 
been  so  much  crippled  by  the  gale,  and  the  enemy’s 
force  being  so  vastly  superior,  the  Trumbull  struck 
her  colours,  after  a spirited  but  short  resistance. 
Lieutenant  Dale  was  wounded  in  this  rencontre. 

The  second  day  after  this  he  arrived  at  New  York, 
a prisoner,  and  was  put  on  parole  at  Long  Island ; he 
was  soon  afterwards  exchanged,  and  returned  to  Phi- 
ladelphia, in  November  1781. 

The  government  having  no  immediate  occasion  for 
his  services,  he  engaged  in  the  merchant  service ; 
having  no  relish  for  an  inactive  life.  He  entered  on 
board  the  Queen  of  France,  a large  ship  mounting 
twelve  sixes — -first,  as  chief  officer,  afterwards  as 
captain.  In  the  latter  capacity  he  sailed  in  the  spring 
of  1782,  for  L’Orient,  in  company  with  a formidable 
squadron  of  letters  of  marque.  During  the  voyage 
they  made  many  valuable  prizes.  The  Queen  of 
France  having  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  squad- 
ron fell  in  with  a British  privateer  brig,  mounting  four- 
teen sixes.  A severe  conflict  ensued  in  which  both 
vessels  sustained  very  serious  damage.  They  parted 
by  mutual  consent.  Captain  Dale  returned  to  Phila- 
delphia, in  February  1783. 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  peace,  there  was  no  provi 
sion  made  for  the  navy  nor  its  officers.  Captain  Dale 

5* 


54 


CAPTAIN  OF  THE  GANGES. 


became  interested  in  a large  ship  in  the  London  trade 
in  the  command  of  which  he  sailed  for  London,  in 
December  1783.  From  this  period  to  May,  1790, 
we  find  him,  unremittingly  and  lucratively  employed 
in  the  East  India  trade  in  which  he  commanded  se- 
veral of  the  finest  ships  engaged  in  that  employ.  In 
September  1791,  he  married,  and  until  June  1794, 
continued  engaged  in  the  merchant  service. 

About  the  latter  period,  the  government  appointed 
six  captains  for  the  naval  establishment,  for  which 
provision  had  just  been  made.  Captain  Dale  was 
one  of  them,  and  the  fourth  in  rank.  He  was  ap- 
pointed to  superintend  the  building  of  a frigate  of  the 
first  class,  at  Norfolk.  The  government,  however, 
afterwards  deferred  building  her.  He  immediately 
obtained  a furlough,  and  sailed  in  the  command  of  a 
valuable  ship  for  Canton.  He  continued  industriously 
engaged  in  this  trade  till  May  1798,  when  he  com- 
manded the  ship  Ganges.  About  this  period  our 
disputes  with  France  seemed  to  be  approaching  to  a 
crisis.  War  was  generally  expected.  Under  this 
apprehension  the  government  purchased  several  large 
ships,  for  the  purpose  of  converting  them  into  men  of 
war.  Captain  Dale  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  Ganges,  one  of  the  purchased  ships.  She  was 
equipped  for  service ; mounted  twenty-nine  pounders, 
and  had  a crew  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  Soon 
after  this,  some  misunderstanding  arose  with  respect 
to  rank  : Captain  Dale  obtained  a furlough  until  the 
matter  could  be  adjusted.  In  May  1799,  he  sailed  for 
Canton,  in  the  command  of  the  ship  Canton,  mounting 
twenty  guns,  with  a crew  of  seventy  men.  He  returned 
to  Philadelphia,  in  April  1800,  and  was  happy  to  find 


DALE  APPOINTED  COMMODORE.  55 

that  the  point  of  rank  had  been  settled  to  his  entire 
satisfaction.  He  received  orders  from  the  navy 
department  to  hold  himself  in  readiness,  as  employ- 
ment would  soon  offer.  Accordingly  in  May  1801, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  squadron  of 
observation,  about  to  sail  from  Hampton  Roads  to  the 
Mediterranean.  On  the  twenty-first  of  May  he 
hoisted  his  broad  pendant  on  board  the  frigate  Pre- 
sident. On  the  first  of  June  he  sailed  with  the 
squadron,  consisting  of  the  following  vessels:  The 
President,  Captain  James  Barron;  the  Philadelphia, 
Captain  Samuel  Barron;  the  Essex,  Captain  William 
Bainbridge;  and  the  schooner  Enterprize,  Lieutenant 
Andrew  Stewart.  The  squadron  arrived  at  Gibral- 
tar on  the  first  of  July.  They  found  lying  there,  the 
high-admiral  of  Tripoli,  in  a ship  mounting  twenty- 
six  nines  and  sixes,  and  two  hundred  and  sixty  men; 
and  a brig  of  sixteen  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty 
men.  He  had  arrived  only  the  day  before  the  squad- 
ron. It  was  very  evident  that  the  Bey  of  Tripoli  had 
declared,  or  was  about  to  declare  war  against  the 
United  States;  and  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
Admiral  to  cruise  against  the  American  vessels  in  the 
Western  ocean  although  he  disavowed  any  know- 
ledge of  hostile  intentions  on  the  part  of  the  Bey  his 
master.  Had  the  Admiral  got  out,  he  would  have 
swept  the  ocean  of  the  American  trade,  which  at  that 
time  was  very  active  in  those  seas.  It  became  an 
object  of  primary  importance  to  prevent  his  escape* 
and  for  this  purpose  Captain  Samuel  Barron,  of  the 
Philadelphia  frigate,  was  ordered  by  the  Commodore 
to  lie  olf  Gibraltar,  in  order  to  watch  the  movements 
of  the  Admiral,  and  if  he  ventured  out,  to  capture  him 


56  DALE  BLOCKADES  TRIPOLI. 

Despairing  of  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  blockading 
squadron,  the  Admiral  very  soon  dismantled  his  ves- 
sels and  discharged  his  crews;  and  thus  one  consider- 
able means  of  annoyance  was,  to  all  useful  purposes, 
destroyed. 

The  hostile  intentions  of  the  Bey  were  placed  be- 
yond a doubt,  by  authentic  information  obtained  in 
the  Mediterranean. 

After  distributing  the  other  vessels  of  the  squadron, 
in  different  directions,  wherever  their  protection  was 
most  needed  by  the  American  trade,  the  Commodore 
repaired  to  Tripoli — arriving  off  that  place  in  July. 
He  opened  a correspondence  with  the  Bey,  without 
producing  any  satisfactory  results.  A strict  blockade 
of  the  port  was  kept  up  for  some  time. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  opportune  than  the 
arrival  of  the  squadron  in  the  Mediterranean  at  that 
time,  as  the  Tripolitan  corsairs  had  been  ordered  to 
capture  all  American  vessels  they  should  fall  in  with. 
So  efficient  was  the  protection  given  to  the  American 
trade,  by  the  vigilance  and  exertions  of  every  officer 
of  the  squadron,  that  not  a single  capture  was  made. 

In  March  1802,  the  Commodore  sailed  for  the 
United  States,  and  arrived  in  Hampton  Roads  in 
April  following.  In  the  fall  of  1802,  he  received  an 
order  from  the  Navy  Department  to  hold  himself  in 
readiness  to  take  command  of  the  squadron  which 
was  to  sail  in  the  following  spring  for  the  Mediter- 
ranean. In  the  order,  he  was  informed  that  he  could 
not  have  a captain  under  him,  as  he  had  before. 
However  sensible  of  the  honor  conferred  upon  him, 
in  thus  selecting  him  the  second  time  for  so  important 
a command,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  decline  the  appoint- 


DEATH  OF  COMMODORE  DALE.  57 

ment.  A proper  regard  for  the  honour  of  his  country, 
and  for  his  own  character,  would  not  permit  him  to 
return  to  the  command  in  a less  dignified  station  than 
he  had  enjoyed  before.  The  alternative  was  pre- 
sented, of  accepting,  under  such  humiliating  terms,  or 
resignation.  The  Commodore  did  not  hesitate  to 
choose  the  latter,  particularly  as  there  were  captains 
out  of  employ  who  were  anxious  for  the  appointment. 

Commodore  Dale  now  relinquished  his  profession : 
but  at  a proper  period  he  devoted  his  two  sons  to  the 
naval  service  of  his  country,  for  which  he  still  retained 
the  liveliest  interest.  He  entered  into  full  commu- 
nion with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  many 
years  previous  to  his  death,  and  in  this  relation  sus- 
tained the  character  of  a consistent  Christian.  He 
originated  a Mariners’  Church  in  Philadelphia,  and 
for  a number  of  years  attended  it  in  person  every 
Sunday  afternoon.  His  purse  was  ever  open  to  aid 
the  needy ; and  much  of  his  time  was  devoted  to  the 
bestowment  of  charity ; and  he  extended,  particularly, 
a generous  care  over  mariners,  which  was  not  confined 
to  the  interests  of  this  life. 

The  close  of  Dale’s  life  was  calm  and  happy ; and 
although  he  was  called  to  weep  the  loss  of  his  eldest 
son,  who  received  his  death  wounds  on  the  President, 
in  an  action  with  a British  squadron, — yet  with  the 
fortitude  of  a Christian  and  a patriot  he  could  bear 
the  afflictions,  for  he  had  devoted  the  youth  to  his 
country’s  service.  Dale  expired  at  Philadelphia,  on 
the  26th  of  February,  1826,  in  peace  with  God  and 
man. 

Commodore  Dale  had  several  children,  of  whom 

three  sons  lived  to  the  age  of  manhood.  The  eldest 
H 


58  • CHARACTER  OF  DALE. 

fell  a midshipman,  on  board  the  President;  the  second 
is  now  a commander  in  the  navy;  the  youngest  is  a 
merchant  of  Philadelphia.  Of  his  two  daughters,  the 
elder  was  married  to  Judge  Pettit  and  is  since  deceas- 
ed; and  the  younger  is  the  wife  of  Commodore  Read. 

The  character  of  Commodore  Dale  is  thus  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Cooper  : — 

In  considering  the  character  of  Dale,  we  are 
struck  with  its  simple  modesty  and  frank  sincerity, 
quite  as  much  as  with  its  more  brilliant  qualities. 
His  courage  and  constancy  were  of  the  highest  order, 
rendering  him  always  equal  to  the  most  critical  duties, 
and  never  wearying  in  their  performance.  Such  a 
man  is  perfectly  free  from  all  exaggeration.  As  he 
was  not  afraid  to  act  when  his  cooler  judgment  ap- 
proved, he  had  no  distrusts  to  overcome  ere  he  could 
forbear,  as  prudence  dictated.  Jones  found  him  a 
man  ready  and  willing  to  second  all  his  boldest  and 
most  hazardous  attempts,  so  long  as  reason  showed 
the  probabilities  of  success ; but  the  deed  done,  none 
more  thoroughly  stripped  it  of  all  false  colouring,  or 
viewed  it  in  a truer  light  than  he  who  had  risked  his 
life  in  aiding  to  achieve  it. 

The  person  of  Dale  was  in  harmony  with  his 
moral  qualities.  It  was  manly,  seaman-like,  and  of 
singularly  respectable  bearing.  Simplicity,  good  faith, 
truth  and  courage  were  imprinted  on  his  countenance, 
which  all  who  were  thrown  into  his  company  soon 
discovered  was  no  more  than  the  mirror  of  his  mind. 
The  navy  has  had  more  brilliant  intellects,  officers 
of  profounder  mental  attainments,  and  of  higher 
natural  gifts,  but  it  has  had  few  leaders  of  cooler 
judgment,  sounder  discretion,  more  inflexible  justice, 


CHARACTER  OF  DALE.  59 

or  indomitable  resolution.  He  was  of  a nature,  an 
experience,  and  a professional  skill  to  command  re- 
spect and  to  inspire  confidence, — tributes  that  were 
cheerfully  paid  by  all  who  served  under  his  orders. 
The  writer  of  this  article  has  had  extensive  opportu- 
nities of  hearing  character  discussed  among  the  sea- 
officers  of  his  country;  few  escape  criticism,  of  some 
sort  or  other,  for  their  professional  acts,  and  fewer 
still  as  men  yet  he  cannot  recall  a single  instance  in 
which  he  has  ever  heard  a whisper  of  complaint 
against  the  public  or  private  career  of  Richard  Dale. 
This  total  exemption  from  the  usual  fortunes  of  the 
race,  may,  in  part,  be  owing  to  the  shortness  of  the 
latter’s  service  in  the  present  marine,  and  to  the  limited 
acquaintance  of  his  contemparies  ; but  it  is  difficult  to 
believe  that  it  is  not  chiefly  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
thoroughly  seaman-like  character  of  the  officer,  and 
to  the  perfect  truth  and  sterling  probity  of  the  man.” 


ALEXANDER  MURRAY. 


OMMODORE  Alex 
ANDER  Murray,  was 
born  in  Chestertown, 
Maryland,  on  the  12th 
day  of  July,  1755,  of 
honest  and  respectable 
parents.  From  early 
life  he  was  devoted  to 
the  watery  element ; 
and,  at  the  age  of  eigh- 
teen, commanded  a vessel  in  the  European  trade. 
The  revolution  shortly  after  breaking  out,  zealously 


60 


MURRAY  LEAVES  THE  ARMY.  61 

attached  to  the  cause  of  his  country,  he  forsook  the 
merchant  service,  and  was  appointed  a lieutenant  in 
the  First  Maryland  regiment,  commanded  ly  Colonel 
Smallwood.  He  had  previously  received  an  appoint 
ment  to  the  same  station  in  the  navy,  but  as  we  had 
no  frigate  then  in  service,  he  entered  the  army.  He 
took  an  early  and  conspicuous  part  in  the  hard- 
fought  battles  that  ensued  at  Whiteplains,  Flatbush, 
York,  &LC. 

His  sense  of  hearing  was  much  impaired  by  the 
explosion  of  sundry  pieces  of  cannon,  on  the  New 
York  battery,  while  firing  at  the  enemy’s  fleet,  on 
their  passage  up  the  North  river.  At  the  close  of 
this  campaign  he  was  severely  afflicted  by  chronic 
complaints,  and  was  compelled  to  retire,  soon  after 
having  been  appointed  to  the  rank  of  captain 'in  the 
second  regiment.  At  this  time  two  hundred  effective 
men  only  returned,  out  of  nine  hundred  that  marched 
from  Annapolis;  the  rest  having  been  either  killed,  or 
taken,  or  having  fallen  victims  to  the  maladies  of  the 
camp.  On  the  re-establishment  of  his  health.  Captain 
Murray  resumed  his  rank  in  the  navy.  As  there 
were  no  public  ships  ready  for  service,  he  was  ap- 
pointed, at  various  times,  to  command  sundry  letters 
of  marque,  repeatedly  passing  and  repassing  the 
enemy’s  fleet,  and  seldom  escaping  without  a battle. 
One  of  these  engagements  is  worthy  of  record : — 
Having  been  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Re- 
venge, a letter  of  marque,  carrying  eighteen  six- 
pounders,  with  a complement  of  fifty  men  only,  he 
sailed  from  Baltimore  for  Holland.  He  had  the  chief 
command  of  all  the  vessels  then  lying  at  that  port, 
bound  on  foreign  voyages,  some  cf  which  were  well 


62  MURRAY’S  CONVOY  OF  A FLEET. 

armed.  Meeting  with  the  enemy’s  force  much  supe- 
rior, he  was  compelled  to  return  with  his  fleet,  con- 
sisting of  forty  vessels,  and  to  seek  refuge  in  the  river 
Patuxent.  The  number  afterwards  increased  to 
about  fifty  sail;  the  commanders  of  which  all  agreed 
to  fight  their  way  through  the  opposing  squadron. 
With  this  determination  they  put  to  sea,  when  a fleet 
of  privateers  hove  in  sight.  A signal  was  made  for 
all  the  unarmed  vessels  to  return,  and  for  the  remain- 
der to  rally  round  their  commander.  The  enemy’s 
fleet,  consisting  of  one  ship  of  eighteen  guns,  one  brig 
of  sixteen,  and  three  privateer  schooners,  stood  for 
the  body  of  the  fleet.  One  brig  and  one  schooner 
only  obeyed  Captain  Murray’s  signal  to  rally.  He 
soon  discovered  himself  lying  between  the  ship  and 
the  brig,  when  a severe  engagement  ensued ; Captain 
Murray  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  from  both  broad- 
sides, and  in  an  hour’s  time  had  the  satisfaction  to 
see  his  enemies  haul  off,  after  having  sustained  much 
damage.  The  brig  and  the  schooner  likewise  behaved 
extremely  well,  and  repelled  the  assaults  of  their 
adversaries.  Captain  Murray,  after  this  action,  re- 
turned to  Hampton  Roads  to  refit;  his  sails  and  rig- 
ging were  much  injured,  hut  fortunately  no  lives  were 
lost;  few  only  were  wounded,  himself  amongst  the 
number. 

After  Captain  Murray  had  repaired  his  vessel,  he 
sailed  for  the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  was  unfor- 
tunately overtaken  and  surrounded  by  an  English 
fleet,  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  war  and  trans- 
ports, bound  to  New  York.  He  was  pursued  and 
captured  by  a frigate.  The  captain  and  lieutenant 
were  his  intimate  friends,  from  whom  he  received 


BATTLE  OF  TRUMBULL  AND  WYATT.  63 

every  kindness  and  attention.  He  at  last  arrived  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  was  regularly  exchanged. 

The  United  States’  frigate  Trumbull,  of  thirty-two 
guns,  commanded  by  his  gallant  friend  and  relation, 
the  late  Captain  Nicholson,  was  then  ready  for  ser- 
vice. This  officer  had  before  distinguished  himself, 
in  a very  severe  engagement  off  New  York,  with  a 
British  ship  of  war  called  the  Wyatt.  She  was 
manned  with  a picked  crew,  and  sent  expressly  to 
take  the  Trumbull.  The  action  continued  for  two 
hours ; both  ships  received  much  h ’ iry,  and  a dread- 
ful carnage  ensued.  The  British  ship  hauled  off,  and 
was  towed  into  New  York.  The  captain  being  asked 
the  name  of  the  Trumbull’s  commander,  replied,  that 
he  must  be  either  Paul  Jones  or  the  Devil — for  never 
was  a ship  fought  before  with  such  frantic  despera- 
tion. Captain  Nicholson  likewise  put  into  port  to 
repair;  and  when  he  sailed  on  his  second  cruise, 
Captain  Murray  volunteered  his  services  as  a lieute- 
nant ; and  he  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  his  gallant 
friend,  the  late  Commodore  Dale,  one  of  the  lieu- 
tenants on  board  likewise.  In  the  midst  of  a violent 
gale,  accompanied  by  thunder  and  lightning,  the 
Trumbull  lost  her  fore-topmast.  When  the  storm 
abated,  the  crew  discovered  themselves  to  be  close 
on  board  an  English  frigate.  All  hands,  were,  never- 
theless, called  to  their  quarters,  and  a dreadful  action 
ensued.  At  the  time  when  the  enemy’s  fire  began  to 
slacken,  it  was  discovered  that  most  of  the  battle- 
lanterns  were  extinguished,  and  that  the  crew  had 
fled  from  their  stations.  A second  English  ship  was 
laid  along  the  stern  of  the  Trumbull,  which  poured 
in  her  raking  broadsides,  and  put  an  end  to  the  action. 


64  REPULSE  OF  A BRITISH  PRIVATEER. 

Two  of  the  lieutenants,  with  Lieutenant  Murray, 
were  severely  wounded ; and  one-third  of  the  crew 
were  either  killed  or  disabled.  The  Trumbull  was 
the  next  day  towed  into  New  York,  without  a mast 
standing*,  and  several  of  her  gun-ports  beat  into  one. 

After  Captain  Murray  had  recovered  from  his 
wounds,  he  repaired  to  Baltimore,  where  he  was  fur- 
nished with  another  fine  brig,  a letter  of  marque. 
As  he  was  unable  to  procure  a complement  of  men 
and  guns,  he  took  a cargo  of  tobacco,  and  went  on  an 
intended  voyage  to  St.  Croix.  When  he  sailed  from 
Hampton  Roads  he  had  only  five  six-pounders  on 
board,  and  the  crew  amounted  to  no  more  than  twenty- 
five  men.  A privateer  of  fourteen  guns,  and  one 
hundred  men,  came  alongside,  by  superior  sailing, 
and  lay  fast  on  his  quarter.  The  five  guns  were 
brought  to  bear,  and  the  privateer  was  repelled. 
Perceiving  Captain  Murray’s  weakness,  the  attack 
was  renewed  with  redoubled  fury,  while  his  own  guns 
were  perpetually  shifted  from  side  to  side,  as  occasion 
demanded.  In  attempting  to  board,  the  privateer 
was  again  driven  back,  but  succeeded  in  carrying 
away  the  masts,  leaving  not  a stick  of  timber  stand- 
ing hut  the  mainmast  and  the  stump  of  the  bowsprit. 
A final  and  desperate  attempt  was  at  length  made  to 
board,  but  the  crew  of  the  privateer,  with  the  loss  of 
half  their  number,  were  again  repulsed.  This  action 
continued  for  two  hours.  Captain  Murray,  after 
much  hazard,  arrived  in  safety  at  St.  Thomas,  where 
he  made  sale  of  his  cargo. 

Having  refitted  at  this  place,  he  captured  a British 
packet  by  stratagem,  in  the  Gulf  of  Florida,  without 
firing  a gun,  and  brought  his  prize  into  the  Havanna. 


MIRANDA’S  EXPEDITION.  65 

An  embargo  was  laid  at  this  port  in  consequence  of 
an  expedition  then  fitting  out  against  the  Bahama 
islands,  in  which  he  obtained  a command.  Several 
other  American  vessels,  lying  in  port,  were  armed 
and  attached  to  this  expedition,  which  set  sail 
with  a large  fleet  of  Spanish  transports,  carrying  five 
thousand  men,  under  the  American  flag.  Captain 
Murray  arrived  off  new  Providence,  and  the  wind 
blowing  hard,  no  alternative  was  left  but  either  to 
attack  a fort  well  mounted  with  heavy  ordnance,  or  to 
be  driven  on  shore  by  the  violence  of  the  gale.  The 
former  of  these  alternatives  he  adopted,  and  entering 
the  port,  summoned  the  fort  to  surrender.  This  was 
immediately  done,  and  the  Spanish  flag  waved  triumph- 
antly on  the  ramparts. 

The  Governor  and  his  aid,  (since  the  noted  General 
Miranda,)  who  both  sailed  on  board  Captain  Mur- 
ray’s ship,  were  engaged  in  forming  the  terms  of 
capitulation.  It  was  in  vain  suggested  to  Miranda, 
by  the  subject  of  the  present  memoir,  that  an  uncon- 
ditional surrender  might  be  obtained,  as  the  principal 
forts  were  then  in  their  possession.  Miranda,  then 
a captain  of  the  Spanish  grenadiers,  mortified  at  the 
thought  that  the  Americans  should  have  so  large  a 
share  in  the  glory  of  the  enterprise,  made  shameful 
and  disgraceful  terms  of  capitulation. 

A controversy  with  Miranda  ensued,  which  ended 
in  a formal  challenge  on  the  part  of  Captain  Murray. 
That  officer,  believing,  with  Falstaff,  that  ‘‘  the  better 
part  of  valour  was  discretion,”  refused  to  answer  the 
call. 

Captain  Murray,  after  a successful  voyage,  arrived 
at  Baltimore,  and  was  ordered  on  board  the  Alliance 
I 6* 


66  FRENCH  WAR. 

frigate,  as  first  lieutenant,  under  the  command  of  his 
old  friend,  the  gallant  Commodore  Barry.  Peace, 
in  a short  time,  ensued  between  the  United  States 
and  England ; and  after  the  ratification  was  signed. 
Captain  Murray  was  the  last  officer  who  held  a com- 
mission in  the  Naval  service.  He  had  been  in  thirteen 
battles  in  the  army  and  navy,  was  frequently  w'ounded, 
and  often  taken  prisoner;  which  was  the  only  thing 
that  ever  withdrew  him,  for  a moment,  from  active 
and  honourable  engagement  in  the  service.  During 
the  administration  of  President  Adams,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  our  hostilities  with  Prance,  the  name 
of  Captain  Murray  was  found  amongst  the  first  offi- 
cers appointed  in  the  navy.  He  repaired  to  Balti- 
more, and  took  the  command  of  the  United  States’ 
ship  Montezuma,  of  twenty-four  guns;  cruised  for 
eight  months  along  the  whole  range  of  the  West 
India  islands,  and  convoyed  nearly  one  hundred  sail 
to  the  different  ports  of  the  United  States,  without 
the  loss  of  a single  vessel.  Returning,  he  arrived  at 
the  Delaware,  received  the  public  thanks  of  the  Pre- 
sident,  and  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  In 
surgent.  With  a crew  of  three  hundred  and  twenty 
men  he  repaired  on  board  of  this  ship,  and  sailed 
under  a roving  commission.  Understanding  that  the 
French  frigate  Ambuscade  was  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  West  India  islands,  he  cruised  there  for  several 
weeks,  and  put  into  the  port  of  Lisbon  to  recruit  his 
provisions. 

He  next  proceeded,  in  company  with  the  British 
frigate  Phaeton,  on  board  of  which  were  Lord  Elgin 
and  suite,  in  quest  of  two  French  frigates,  reported 
to  be  cruising  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  with  whom  he 


CRUISE  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES.  67 

sailed  until  her  arrival  at  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar. 
He  then  blockaded  two  large  French  corvettes  in  the 
bay  of  Cadiz ; but  hearing  that  a number  of  American 
vessels  were  watched  by  French  privateers  at  Alge- 
ziras,  he  repaired  to  Gibraltar  for  information.  Here 
Admiral  Duckworth  was  anchored  with  a fleet  of 
several  ships  of  the  line,  from  whom  he  received 
every  testimonial  of  civility  and  kindness.  He  next 
cruised  off  Madeira  and  the  Canary  isles ; but  never 
obtained  a sight  of  the  enemy,  the  two  corvettes  ex- 
cepted. 

Receiving  information  that  the  French  frigate 
Volunteer,  of  forty-four  guns,  was  cruising  off 
Cayenne,  he  arrived  at  that  port,  where  he  under- 
stood she  had  sailed  for  Guadaloupe.  At  length  he 
discovered  this  frigate,  of  which  he  had  been  so  long 
in  chase,  at  Point  Petre,  where  he  blockaded  her 
until  all  his  provisions  were  consumed,  and  repaired 
to  St.  Christophers  to  recruit.  On  returning  to  re- 
new the  blockade,  he  fell  in  company  with  the  Con- 
stellation, and  learnt  from  the  gallant  Truxton  that 
the  frigate  was  the  Vengeance.  The  particulars  of 
that  memorable  battle  are  too  well  known  to  require  a 
specific  detail.  The  Constellation,  then  in  a crippled 
state,  and  the  Insurgent,  sailed  in  company  to  Jamaica, 
for  the  purpose  of  refitting ; where  the  two  American 
officers  experienced  every  kindness  and  courtesy  from 
Sir  Hyde  Parker,  who  commanded  on  that  station. 

Captain  Murray  received  orders  from  Havanna  to 
return  to  America.  Meeting  with  strong  and  heavy 
gales,  and  a lee  current,  the  ship  sustained  much  in- 
jury, and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  she 
was  brought  into  Baltimore  ; thus  term’nating  a cruise 


68  COMMANDS  THE  CONSTITUTION. 

of  nine  months,  never  longer  than  a w^eek  in  one  port, 
and  his  ship  almost  reduced  to  a wreck — the  bolts  and 
nails  starting  from  her  decks  and  sides  in  every  gale. 

Scarcely  had  he  time  to  visit  his  family  at  Norfolk 
before  he  received  orders  to  take  the  command  of 
the  Constellation,  Commodore  Truxton  having  been 
transferred  to  the  President.  His  first  cruise  was 
for  the  Leeward  islands,  where  he  relieved  Captain 
Talbot,  of  the  Constitution,  off  Cape  Fran9ais.  He 
had  several  sloops  of  war,  brigs,  &c.,  under  his  com- 
mand; and  such  were  his  arrangements,  that  our 
trade  in  that  quarter  was  effectually  protected — not  a 
single  capture  having  been  made  by  the  French 
cruisers. 

While  sailing  in  quest  of  the  French  frigate  Ven- 
geance, after  the  action  with  Commodore  Truxton, 
he  received  information  of  her  capture  by  the  English. 
He  was  afterwards  relieved  by  Captain  Sevier,  in  the 
frigate  Congress,  and  set  out  on  his  return  to  the  Dela- 
ware. Passing  through  the  Bahama  Straits,  he 
stopped  at  the  Havanna,  to  convoy  some  American 
vessels,  and  was  introduced  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico 
and  his  lady,  on  their  route  to  Spain,  by  whom  he 
was  noticed  with  every  mark  of  cordial  respect,  par- 
ticipating in  £^11  the  splendid  entertainments  given  by 
them  to  the  principal  inhabitants  of  that  place.  His 
stores  being  replenished,  he  sailed  for  the  Windward 
isles,  and  on  his  passage  encountered  a dreadful  gale, 
where  he  had  nearly  foundered,  and  was  on  the  eve 
of  cutting  away  his  masts,  when  the  storm  abated. 
He  proceeded  onward  towards  Guadaloupe,  and  fell 
in  with  the  British  frigate  Magnanimie,  of  forty-four 
guns,  in  a dark  night,  from  which  a gun  was  fired 


INSULT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  j’LAG.  69 

without  the  preliminary  ceremony  of  showing  a signal. 
At  this  moment,  Captain  Murray’s  wardroom-officers 
crowded  around  him,  indignant  at  the  insult  offered 
to  the  American  flag,  and  anxiously  inquired  if  he 
did  not  intend  to  return  the  fire.  He  sternly  ordered 
them  instantly  to  their  quarters,  without  deigning  to 
give  any  other  reply  to  their  urgent  interrogations. 
Disgusted,  they  obeyed  the  command,  suspecting  no 
very  honourable  motives  for  such  haughtiness,  cold- 
ness, and  reserve.  It  requires  but  very  little  aid 
from  fancy  to  observe  by  the  light  of  the  battle- 
lanterns,  this  little  group  of  officers  at  their  guns, 
bending  their  full,  expressive,  and  indignant  looks  on 
their  commander ; their  eyes  gleaming  with  reproaches 
which  their  tongues  dare  not  utter.  From  him  they 
cast  their  eyes  upon  each  other,  and  their  silent 
glances,  accompanied  by  shrugs  and  indignant  smiles, 
emphatically  expressed  what  opinion  was  prevalent. 
The  captain,  meanwhile  maintaining  a cold  tranquillity 
of  deportment,  saw  and  enjoyed  the  scene,  appearing 
perfectly  unconscious  of  the  impression  which  his 
orders  had  made.  The  silent  interchange  of  thoughts 
and  sensations — more  eloquent,  however,  than  all  the 
powers  of  language — lasted  for  some  time.  Not  a 
word  was  spoken — all  was  attention  and  dumb  re- 
sentment. These  officers,  at  length,  to  their  astonish- 
ment and  delight,  received  orders  from  their  com- 
mander to  return  the  salute  with  a full  broadside. 
Another  train  of  sensations  occurred,  and  the  frowns 
of  anger  were  exchanged  for  gleams  of  the  fondest 
admiration.  The  orders  were  promptly  executed, 
when  an  explanation  ensued,  and  precluded  further 
hostility 


70 


PEACE  WITH  FRANCE. 


The  next  day  he  captured  a French  lugger,  of 
eighteen  guns,  from  which  he  received  the  first  intel- 
ligence that  preliminaries  of  peace  had  been  signed 
between  the  two  belligerents;  and  falling  in  with 
Admiral  Duckworth,  these  tidings  were  confirmed. 
Arriving  off  Point  Petre,  he  sent  a flag  of  truce  to 
the  French  commissioner,  by  whom  he  was  invited 
on  shore,  and  was  received  with  every  testimonial  of 
respect.  Feux  de  joie  were  fired  from  the  forts  as 
he  passed,  and  during  the  two  days  of  his  residence 
at  that  that  place,  all  was  hilarity  and  mirth.  He 
communicated  the  pacific  intelligence  to  the  other 
American  commanders  with  whom  he  fell  in,  and 
sailed  with  a convoy  for  Philadelphia. 

The  act  of  Congress  reducing  the  navy  was  now 
passed,  and  the  Commodore  was  one  of  the  thirteen 
still  retained  in  the  service.  He  received  orders  to 
repair  to  the  Mediterranean,  to  protect  the  American 
commerce  in  that  quarter  from  the  ravages  of  the 
Tripolitan  cruisers.  Commodore  Truxton  wms  ori- 
ginally destined  to  take  the  command  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean ; his  controversy  with  government  and  his  re- 
signation are  well  known.  Captain  Murray,  in  the 
Constellation,  sailed  in  pursuance  of  his  orders,  and 
when  he  arrived  in  the  Straits,  was  informed  by  the 
British  Admiral,  Sir  James  Saumarez,  that  the  Phila- 
delphia and  Essex  frigates  lay  at  Malaga,  where  the 
two  commanders,  Bainbridge  and  Barron,  were 
anxiously  waiting  to  he  relieved.  As  senior  ofiicer, 
he  permitted  their  return  to  the  United  States. 
While  lying  in  that  port,  awaiting  instructions  from 
his  government,  he  was  informed  by  Lord  Keith,  the 
British  admiral  on  that  station,  of  the  daily  expecta- 


COMPLIMENT  TO  THE  DUKE  OF  KENT.  71 

tion  of  the  arrival  of  his  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke 
of  Kent.  Desiring  to  pay  the  Royal  Duke  every 
mark  of  respect,  the  Admiral  invited  Commodore 
Murray  to  join,  if  it  was  not  inconsistent  with  his 
arrangements.  The  Commodore,  with  his  usual 
courtesy  agreed,  and  the  first  rank  was  assigned  to 
him  after  the  Admiral’s  own  flag.  As  soon  as  the 
royal  standard  was  discovered  in  the  bay,  the  British 
fleet,  consisting  of  twelve  sail,  fired  a salute,  followed 
by  the  American  frigates,  and  then  the  Portuguese 
and  Danish  men  of  war.  The  yards  were  all  manned, 
and  in  this  manner  they  escorted  his  Royal  Highness 
on  shore, — Lord  Keith  leading  the  van  in  company 
with  the  Royal  Duke.  They  then  repaired  to  the 
parade  ground,  where  they  were  all  presented  to  his 
Royal  Highness  in  form,  in  the  centre  of  a hollow 
square  formed  by  a garrison  of  five  thousand  men. 
When  this  ceremony  was  ended,  they  marched  round, 
and  at  the  head  of  each  regiment  were  received  with 
military  music,  and  a feu  de  joie  was  fired  in  rotation 
from  all  the  cannon  in  the  batteries. 

Commodore  Murray  had  a long  and  familiar  con- 
versation with  his  Royal  Highness,  which'was  several 
times  repeated,  and  always  with  the  warmest  declara- 
tions of  his  Tespect  and  regard  for  the  Americans. 
The  next  day  he  received  a polite  note  from  Lord 
Keith,  in  which  the  Admiral  says,  I am  commanded 
by  his  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Kent,  to  make 
his  public  thanks  to  you,  and  to  the  officers  com- 
manding the  American  frigates,  for  their  courtesy 
and  attention  to  him  yesterday,  in  his  own  person, 
and  that  of  the  British  nation.” 

On  the  day  following,  the  Philadelphia  and  Essex 


72  IN  THE  MEDITERTIANEAN. 

having  departed  for  the  United  States,  Commodore 
Murray  proceeded  up  the  Mediterranean  with  valu- 
able presents  from  his  government  to  the  Bey  of 
Tunis,  sent  from  England  by  our  Minister,  Mr.  King, 
which  he  delivered.  From  this  port  he  sailed  for 
Tripoli,  and  fell  in  with  the  Boston  and  two  Swedish 
frigates,  with  which  he  concerted  a plan  for  a vigour- 
ous  blockade.  As  the  Boston  was  compelled  to  put 
into  Malta  to  repair,  and  the  Swedish  ships  of  war 
to  go  away  in  quest  of  provision,  Commodore  Murray 
was  left  alone  in  sight  of  the  town  for  several  weeks. 
He  repaired  to  Syracuse  for  provisions,  and  in  the 
mean  time  very  advantageous  terms  of  peace  were 
offered  to  him  by  the  Bashav/;  to  which,  as  he  had 
no  powers  from  his  own  government,  he  was  unable 
to  accede. 

He  was  once  becalmed,  when  he  was  attacked  by 
all  the  Tripolitan  gun-boats,  and  the  contest  was 
maintained  for  an  hour.  A light  breeze  springing  up, 
he  brought  his  guns  to  bear,  and  distributed  amongst 
them  such  showers  of  grape,  that  they  never  annoyed 
him  afterwards. 

Commodore  Murray  visited  the  ex-bashaw  at  Malta, 
where  he  went  in  quest,  of  provisions.  He  was  an 
interesting  and  well-disposed  Turk,  of  free  and  easy 
manners.  He  detailed  to  the  Commodore,  at  great 
length,  the  sufferings  and  oppressions  imposed  on  him 
by  his  brother,  and  solicited  his  assistance ; but  the 
Commodore  was  unable  to  serve  him,  and  could  only 
breathe  a fervent  prayer  for  his  success.  His  brother, 
the  Bashaw,  was  a tyrant,  whose  heart  was  impene- 
trable to  the  touches  of  mercy  and  compassion. 

He  remained  four  months  before  Tripoli,  awaiting 


RETURN  HOME. 


73 


the  orders  of  his  government.  At  length  he  went  to 
Palermo,  to  inquire  if  any  American  vessels  required 
convoy,  when  he  heard  that  Captain  Morris,  in  the 
Chesapeake,  had  arrived  in  the  Mediterranean.  He 
touched  at  Naples,  and  remained  there  until  his  rud- 
der was  repaired,  during  which  time  he  was  introduced 
to  the  diplomatic  corps,  and  to  the  principal  nobility 
of  the  place,  participating  in  all  the  courtesy  and 
hospitality  of  their  tables.  These  compliments  he 
requited  by  invitations  on  board  his  frigate. 

At  Leghorn  he  met  with  Captain  Morris,  with 
whom  he  arranged  all  matters  respecting  his  future 
course,  and  sailed  down  the  Straits  with  a convoy. 
He  proceeded  as  far  as  the  Gulf  of  Lyons,  encoun- 
tering many  severe  gales,  and  was  compelled  to  put 
into  Malaga,  for  the  purpose  of  fishing  his  mast,  which 
had  sprung  by  the  violence  of  the  gale.  Here  he  met 
with  Captain  Rodgers,  in  the  frigate  John  Adams, 
who  put  into  his  hands  an  open  letter  from  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  directed  to  Captain  Morris,  enjoining 
him  to  despatch  the  Constellation  and  some  other 
vessels  of  war  home.  As  Captain  Morris  was  then 
thirteen  hundred  miles  distant,  he  returned  to  America, 
after  having  informed  that  officer  by  letter  of  his 
motives  for  so  doing.  He  sailed  with  a fleet  of  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  vessels,  under  his  convoy,  and 
arrived  at  Washington,  where  his  ship  was  dismantled. 

He  remained  for  a period  in  the  bosom  of  domestic 
retirement,  from  wffience  he  was  summoned  to  take 
command  of  the  Adams,  and  cruise  off  the  American 
coast,  which  was  then  infested  with  French  privateers. 
He  cruised  for  some  time  along  the  coasts  of  Carolina 
and  Georgia,  in  a tempestuous  season  of  the  year, 
K 7 


74 


DEATH  OF  COMMODORE  MURRAY. 


until  his  ship  was  almost  a wreck,  when  he  returned 
to  Washington,  where  she  was  laid  up. 

Commodore  Murray’s  last  appointment  was  that 
of  commander  of  the  navy-yard  in  Philadelphia, — a 
post  in  which  he  rendered  important  services,  and 
gave  universal  satisfaction.  He  held  it  during  the 
rest  of  his  life.  He  died  October  6,  1820,  at  his  seat 
near  Philadelphia.  His  remains  were  interred  with 
the  highest  honours.  He  united  to  the  highest  firm- 
ness and  resolution,  a remarkable  mildness  and  suavity 
of  temper.  Few  men  were  personally  more  beloved. 
The  invalid,  the  battered  and  disabled  seaman,  return- 
ing from  the  disasters  of  war  or  shipwreck,  ever 
found  in  him  a generous  friend. 


JOHN  BARHY. 


HE  career  of  this  dis- 
tinguished officer  com- 
mences with  the  infancy 
of  our  navy,  and  is 
marked  by  many  bril- 
liant services.  His 
name  occurs  in  connec- 
tion with  not  a few  of 
the  more  remarkable 
events  in  the  history  of 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  always  with  credit  to  him- 
self, and  honour  to  the  flag  under  which  he  sailed. 

Few  commanders  in  the  navy  were  employed  in  a 
greater  variety  of  service,  or  m.et  the  enemy  under 
greater  disadvantages.  Yet,  in  no  one  of  the  numer- 
ous actions  in  which  he  was  engaged,  did  Commodore 
Barry  ever  fail  to  acquit  himself  of  his  duty  in  a 
manner  becoming  a skilful  seaman  and  an  able  warrior. 

75 


76  iN  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE. 

Commodore  Barry  was  born  in  the  county  of 
Wexford,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  in  the  year 
1745.  His  father  was  a highly  respectable  farmer, 
under  whose  roof  he  received  the  first  impressions  of 
that  ingenuousness,  and  that  high-toned  magnanimity 
which  were  conspicuous  attributes  of  his  character. 
At  a very  early  age  he  manifested  a strong  inclination 
to  follow  the  sea.  His  father  was  induced  to  gratify 
his  desires,  and  he  was  put  on  board  a merchantman, 
in  which  service  he  continued  several  years.  The 
opportunities  afforded  by  the  intermissions  of  his 
voyages,  were  improved  to  his  advantage,  by  applying 
himself  to  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  Possessed 
of  a strong  and  active  mind,  he  was  enabled,  with 
indefatigable  industry,  to  acquire  a good  parochial 
education. 

In  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  year  of  his  age  he 
arrived  in  America,  which  he  immediately  determined 
to  make  the  country  of  his  adoption.  In  his  new 
situation  he  was  not  long  without  employment,  but 
applied  himself  diligently  to  his  new  profession,  and, 
in  a very  short  time,  his  nautical  skill,  the  steadiness 
of  his  habits,  and  the  integrity  of  his  character,  re- 
commended him,  successively,  to  some  of  the  most 
respectable  merchants  of  that  day.  He  was  long  in 
the  service  of  Mr.  Reese  Meredith,  Messrs.  Willing 
and  Norris,  and  Mr.  Nixon.  While  in  the  employ 
of  the  latter  gentleman,  he  commanded  a very  valuable 
ship,  in  the  London  trade,  called  the  Black  Prince, 
which  was  afterwards  purchased  by  the  Congress  for 
a vessel  of  war.  During  his  continuance  with  those 
gentlemen  he  possessed  their  unreserved  confidence  ; 
they  always  spoke  of  him  in  terms  of  the  highest  ap- 


APPOINTED  TO  THE  LEXINGTON.  77 

probation ; his  connection  with  them  was  the  ground 
of  a friendship,  reciprocal,  sincere,  and  lasting.  He 
thus  continued,  growing  in  reputation,  and  acquiring, 
hy  industry  and  perseverance,  a decent  competency, 
until  the  controversy  between  the  mother  country 
and  her  then  colonies  gave  a new  direction  to  thought, 
and  opened  new  prospects  lo  ambition.  He  could 
not  but  feel  a deep  interest  in  passing  events ; he  did 
not  hesitate  as  to  the  part  he  should  act,  as  the  bias 
of  his  youth  was  in  favour  of  liberty.  At  that  inter- 
esting crisis,  when  Great  Britain  sent  her  veteran 
armies  and  powerful  navies,  to  coerce  a compliance 
with  her  unjust  demands;  and  when  all  but  men 
struggling  for  their  liberty  would  have  deemed  resist- 
ance folly,  it  became  important  to  select  officers 
whose  valour  and  discretion,  whose  experience  and 
skill  would  give  the  utmost  efficiency  to  our  insignifi- 
cant means  of  defence  and  annoyance.  The  rare 
union  in  Commodore  Barry  of  all  these  qualities,  re- 
commended him  to  the  notice  of  Congress,  and  he 
was  honoured  by  that  body  with  one  of  the  first  naval 
commissions. 

In  February  1776,  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  brig  Lexington,  of  sixteen  guns.  She 
was  the  first  continental  vessel  of  war  that  sailed 
from  the  port  of  Philadelphia.  Having  cruised  suc- 
cessfully in  her,  he  was,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same 
year,  transferred  to  the  Effingham,  one  of  three  large 
frigates  built  in  Philadelphia.  In  the  eventful  winter 
of  that  year,  the  navigation  of  the  Delaware  being 
impeded  by  ice,  and  all  naval  employment  suspended, 
his  bold  and  restless  spirit  could  not  be  inactive.  So 
zealous  was  he  in  his  country’s  cause,  that  he 

7# 


78 


BC  LD  EXPLOIT. 


volunteered  his  services  in  the  army,  and  served  with 
distinguished  reputation  as  aid-de-camp  to  General 
Cadwallader,  in  the  important  operations  which  took 
place  in  the  vicinity  of  Trenton. 

When  the  British  obtained  command  of  the  city, 
and  forts  on  the  river,  in  1777,  it  was  deemed  prudent 
to  send  the  vessels  of  war  up  the  river  to  Whitehill, 
where  they  might  possibly  escape  destruction.  Com- 
modore Barry,  with  several  others,  effected  their  es- 
cape with  great  dexterity.  The  vessels,  however, 
were  soon  after  destroyed  by  the  enemy.  While  the 
frigates  were  lying  near  Whitehill,  Commodore  Barry 
formed  a project,  which,  for  boldness  of  design,  and 
dexterity  of  execution  was  not  surpassed,  if  equalled, 
during  the  war.  It  struck  him  that  the  enemy  might 
be  severely  annoyed  by  means  of  small  boats,  properly 
armed,  which,  being  stationed  down  the  river  and  bay, 
might  intercept  supplies  going  to  the  enemy,  and,  in 
case  of  danger,  take  refuge  in  the  creeks.  He  accord- 
ingly manned  the  boats  of  the  frigates,  and,  under 
cover  of  night,  with  muffled  oars,  descended  the  river. 
He  arrived  opposite  the  city  before  the  enemy  or 
citizens  had  any  information  of  their  movement.  In 
a moment  all  was  consternation  and  alarm  ; the  enemy 
apprehending  some  impending  disaster,  while  the  citi- 
zens, supposing  the  project  impracticable,  despaired 
of  the  safety  of  his  friends.  The  object  was  effected; 
and  the  success  which  crowned  the  adventure  was 
worthy  of  the  enterprising  spirit  which  conceived  it. 
They  not  only  succeeded  in  intercepting  supplies  of 
provisions  from  the  surrounding  country,  hut  cap- 
tured several  vessels  loaded  with  military  munitions 
and  valuable  stores  for  the  British  officers.  General 


COMMANDS  THE  ALLIANCE.  79 

Washington  always  spoke  with  great  satisfaction  of 
this  enterprise,  and  those  concerned  in  it ; indeed,  he 
gave  a public  expression  of  thanks,  to  the  Commodore 
and  his  officers. 

After  the  destruction  of  his  frigate,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  the  Raleigh,  of  thirty-two 
guns ; which  ship  he  was  obliged,  by  a large  squadron 
of  British  vessels  of  war,  to  run  on  shore,  on  Fon’s 
island,  in  Penobscot  bay.  Having  made  several 
voyages  to  the  West  Indies,  in  letter  of  marque  vessels, 
during  one  of  which  he  was  commodore  of  a large 
squadron  of  them,  he  was  afterwards  ordered  to  take 
command  of  a seventy-four  gun  ship,  building  in  New 
Hampshire.  Congress  having,  however,  concluded 
to  present  her  to  the  King  of  France,  the  Commodore 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  frigate  Alliance, 
of  thirty-six  guns,  then  at  Boston.  In  February  1781, 
she  sailed  from  Boston  for  L’ Orient,  having  on  board 
Colonel  Laurens  and  suite,  on  an  important  embassy 
to  the  French  court.  He  sailed  from  L’ Orient  early 
in  1781,  on  a cruise;  and  having  taken  many  valuable 
prizes,  on  the  29th  of  May  an  event  occurred  that 
deserves  notice.  On  the  preceding  day  two  sail  were 
discovered  on  the  weather  bow,  standing  for  the 
Alliance ; after  approaching  near  enough  to  be  in 
sight,  during  the  night,  they  hauled  to  the  wind,  and 
stood  on  the  same  course  with  the  frigate. 

At  daylight,  on  the  29th,  it  became  quite  calm;  at  f 

sunrise  the  American  colours  were  displayed  on  board 
the  Alliance ; the  drum  beat  to  quarters.  The  strange 
sails  were  discovered  to  be  a ship  and  a brig;  the 
British  flag  was  displayed,  and  having,  by  means  of 
their  sweeps,  got  within  hailing  distance,  they  respec- 


^^0  CAPTURES  THE  ATALANTA. 

lively  hailed,  when  it  appeared  that  the  ship  was  His 
Brittanic  Majesty’s  ship  of  war  Atalanta,  Captain 
Edwards,  carrying  between  twenty  and  thirty  guns; 
and  her  consort,  the  brig  Trepasa,  Captain  Smith. 
The  Commodore  ordered  them  to  haul  down  their 
colours,  which  being  refused,  the  cannonading  imme- 
diately began : the  Alliance,  from  want  of  wind,  was 
like  a log  upon  the  water ; while  the  enemy  by  means 
of  their  sweeps,  could  select  their  position  : they  ac- 
cordingly kept  on  the  quarters,  and  athwart  the  stern 
of  the  Alliance,  so  that  but  few  guns  could  he  brought 
to  hear  upon  them.  About  two  o’clock,  the  Commo- 
dore was  wounded  in  the  left  shoulder  by  a grape 
shot.  Though  the  wound  was  dangerous  and  exces- 
sively painful,  he  remained  on  the  quarter-deck  some 
time,  when  the  loss  of  blood  obliged  him  to  be  carried 
to  the  cockpit.  Shortly  after,  the  colours  of  the 
Alliance  were  shot  away,  and,  this  happening  in  the 
interval  of  loading  her  guns,  the  enemy  concluded 
they  had  been  struck ; they  manned  the  shrouds  and 
huzzaed.  The  American  flag  was  soon  hoisted  again, 
and  the  renewal  of  the  fire  from  the  Alliance  sent  the 
enemy  to  their  quarters.  A little  wind  fortunately 
springing  up,  the  broadside  of  the  frigate  was  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  enemy ; it  did  great  execution,  and 
at  three,  P.  M.,  they  both  struck  their  colours. 
When  Captain  Edwards  was  conducted  to  the 
Commodore,  who  was  then  confined  in  the  cabin,  he 
presented  his  sword,  which  was  immediately  returned 
to  him,  as  a testimonial  of  the  high  opinion  entertained 
of  his  bravery ; the  Commodore  observing,  at  the  same 
time,  “ that  he  rich  y merited  it,  and  that  his  King 
ought  to  give  him  a )etter  ship.” 


imm 

CF  lUt 

u.j:;cr:JTY  of  iiluvo^o 


THE  COMMODORE  WOUNDED.  83 

Soon  after  the  Commodore  was  wounded  and  left 
the  deck,  one  of  his  lieutenants  went  to  him  while  in 
the  cockpit,  and  representing  the  shattered  state  of 
the  sails  and  rigging,  the  number  of  killed  and  wound- 
ed, and  the  disadvantages  under  which  they  laboured, 
from  the  want  of  wind,  desired  to  know  if  the  colours 
should  be  struck.  “ No,”  said  he ; “ and  if  the  ship 
can’t  be  fought  without,  I will  be  carried  on  deck.” 
When  the  lieutenant  made  known  to  the  crew  the 
determination  of  their  brave  commander,  fresh  spirit 
was  infused  into  them,  and  they  one  and  all  resolved 
to  stick  by  him.”  As  soon  as  his  wound  was 
dressed,  he  insisted  on  being  carried  on  deck,  but 
before  he  reached  it  the  enemy  had  struck.  The 
Alliance  had  eleven  killed,  and  twenty-one  wounded ; 
among  the  latter  several  of  her  officers ; her  rigging  and 
spars  much  shattered,  and  she  was  severely  damaged  in 
her  hull;  the  enemy  had  the  same  number  killed,  and 
thirty  wounded.  We  have  been  led  into  the  detail 
of  this  victory,  as  it  was  considered,  at  the  time  of 
its  achievement,  a most  brilliant  exploit;  and  an 
unequivocal  evidence  of  the  unconquerable  firmness 
and  intrepidity  of  the  victor. 

In  the  fall  of  1781,  orders  were  received  to  fit  the 
Alliance  for  taking  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  and 
Count  de  Noailles  to  France,  on  public  business.  On 
the  25th  of  December,  she  sailed  from  Boston,  with 
them  on  board. 

The  Alliance  left  L’ Orient  in  February  1782, 
from  which  time  she  continued  cruising,  with  great 
success,  till  March  of  the  following  year;  when, 
shortly  after  leaving  Havana,  whither  she  had  been 
ordered,  to  bring  the  United  States  a large  quantity 


84  ' 


SEVERE  ACTIOIN. 


of  specie,  having  in  company  the  continental  ship 
Luzerne,  of  twenty  guns,  Captain  Green,  three 
frigates  were  discovered  right  ahead,  two  leagues  dis- 
tant; the  American  vessels  were  hove  about;  the 
enemy  gave  chase.  The  Luzerne  not  sailing  as  fast 
as  the  Alliance,  the  Commodore  ordered  her  captain 
to  throw  her  guns  overboard.  A sail  was  then  dis- 
covered on  her  weather-bow  bearing  down  upon  them ; 
the  Alliance  hove  out  a signal,  which  was  answered ; 
she  proved  to  be  a French  ship,  of  fifty  guns.  Rdiy- 
ing  upon  her  assistance,  the  Commodore  concluded 
to  bring  the  headmost  of  the  enemy’s  ships  to  action ; 
after  inspiring  his  crew  by  an  address,  and  going 
from  gun  to  gun,  and  cautioning  his  men  against  too 
much  haste,  and  not  to  fire  until  ordered,  he  prepared 
for  action.  The  enemy’s  ship  was  of  equal  size  with 
the  Alliance ; a severe  engagement  followed : it  was 
very  soon  perceptible  that  the  Alliance  was  gaining  the 
advantage;  most  of  the  enemy’s  guns  were  silenced; 
and,  after  an  action  of  fifty  minutes,  the  ship  was  so 
severely  damaged,  that  she  hoisted  a signal  of  distress, 
when  her  consorts  joined  her.  The  loss  on  board 
the  Alliance  was  very  trifling — three  killed,  and  eleven 
wounded.  The  enemy’s  loss  was  severe;  thirty- 
seven  killed,  and  fifty  wounded.  The  other  English 
frigates  were  watching  the  movements  of  the  French 
ships;  the  captain  of  which,  upon  coming  up  with  the 
Alliance,  assigned  as  a reason  for  keeping  aloof  from 
the  action,  that  he  was  apprehensive  the  Alliance  had 
been  taken,  and  that  the  engagement  was  only  a 
decoy.  Chase  was  made,  but  the  French  ship  being 
unable  to  keep  up  with  the  American,  it  was  given  over. 

A gentleman  of  distinguished  naval  reputation, 


ANECDOTE. 


85 


when  in  the  Mediterranean  with  the  American 
squadron,  was  introduced  to  Captain  James  Vaughan, 
now  Vice-Admiral  of  the  Red,  the  commander  of 
the  British  frigate  engaged  with  the  Alliance.  In  the 
course  of  conversation,  he  made  particular  inquiry 
after  Captain  Barry ; related  the  circumstances  of  the 
action ; and,  with  the  frankness  of  a generous  enemy, 
confessed  that  he  had  never  seen  a ship  so  ably  fought 
as  the  Alliance ; that  he  had  never  before,  to  use  his 
own  words, — received  such  a drubbing,  and  that  he 
was  indebted  to  the  assistance  of  his  consorts.’’  We 
are  sensible  we  have  indulged  in  greater  particularity 
in  the  relation  of  these  engagements  than  rnost  readers 
would  think  necessary.  Our  reason  must  apologise 
for  us ; we  wish  it  to  be  known  that  the  gallantry  of 
our  seamen  is  not  of  recent  date,  but  is  coeval  with 
our  national  existence. 

These  are  the  most  interesting  incidents  that  our 
imperfect  materials  furnish.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
Commodore  Barry  served  throughout  the  Revolution 
with  distinguished  honour  to  himself,  and  signal 
benefit  to  his  country.  Even  during  the  intervals  of 
suspension  from  public  employment,  occasioned  by 
the  chances  of  war,  he  was  actively  and  efficiently 
employed  in  annoying  the  commerce  of  the  enemy  in 
letter  of  marque  vessels.  Having  espoused  the  cause 
of  liberty  from  principle,  he  was  attached  to  it  with  all 
the  glow  of  patriotic  enthusiasm ; nothing  could  divert 
him  from  it,  nor  cool  his  ardour.  The  following 
anecdote  may  be  relied  upon  as  authentic;  it  evinces 
at  once  the  high  estimation  in  which  his  services 
were  held  by  the  enemy,  and  the  constancy  of  his 
resolution  : — 


8 


GENERAL  HOWE’S  OFFER. 


General  Howe,  appreciating  the  Commodore’s  cha 
racter,  and  thinking  him  important  to  the  successfiu 
progress  and  issue  of  the  contest,  made  an  attempt  to 
detach  him  from  his  country’s  service ; for  this  pur- 
pose, he  authorised  an  offer  to  the  Commodore  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  thousand  guineas,  and  the  command 
of  the  best  frigate  in  the  English  navy.  The  General 
availed  himself  of  a period  that  seemed  to  him  the 
most  aupicious  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  object ; 
it  was  when  the  metropolis  was  in  possession  of  the 
British — when  the  enemy  triumphed,  and  even  when 
the  best  friends  of  America  began  to  despair.  The 
offer  was  rejected  with  the  indignation  of  insulted 
patriotism.  The  answer  he  returned  to  the  General 
w^as,  that  “ he  had  devoted  himself  to  the  cause  of  his 
country,  and  not  the  value  and  command  of  the  whole 
British  fleet  could  seduce  him  from  it.” 

After  the  termination  of  hostilities,  the  Commodore 
was  retained  in  the  public  service ; and  when,  under 
Mr.  Adams’s  administration,  it  was  deemed  expedient 
to  increase  the  naval  establishment,  he  was  appointed 
to  superintend  the  building  of  the  frigate  United 
States,  in  Philadelphia,  which  was  designed  for  his 
command.  His  opinion  was  very  influential  in  the 
adoption  by  the  government  of  that  excellent  mode] 
for  ships  of  war,  the  superiority  of  which,  over  every 
other,  has  been  so  strikingly  proved,  as  to  have  ex- 
torted the  acknowledgments  even  of  our  enemies 
During  the  partial  maritime  war  into  which  we  were 
drawn  by  the  aggressions  of  the  cruisers  of  the  French 
Republic,  Commodore  Barry  w^as  constantly  and  ac- 
tively employed ; and  though  fortune  did  not  afford 
him  an  opportunity  of  signalising  himself  by  any 


DEATli  OF  COMMODORE  BARRy.  87 

splendid  victory,  yet  he  rendered  essential  service  to 
the  commercial  interests  of  the  country,  by  protecting 
its  flag  from  the  depredations  of  the  French  pri- 
vateers, which  infested  the  ocean.  After  our  differ- 
ences with  France  were  accommodated,  he  retained 
the  command  of  the  United  States  until  she  was  laid 
up  in  ordinary,  soon  after  the  introduction  of  Mr. 
Jefferson  to  the  Executive  chair. 

Commodore  Barry  did  not  long  survive  the  termi- 
nation of  his  public  services ; though  naturally  of  a 
strong  and  robust  constitution,  he  had  been  for  many 
years  subject  to  an  asthmatic  affection,  to  which  he 
fell  a victim,  at  Philadelphia,  on  the  thirteenth  day 
of  September,  1803. 

Thus  closed  the  life  of  one  of  the  first  of  patriots,  , 
and  best  of  men.  He  was  eminently  qualified  for  the 
important  stations  which  he  filled.  He  possessed 
courage  without  rashness — a constancy  of  spirit  which 
could  not  be  subdued — a sound  and  intuitive  judg- 
ment— a promptitude  of  decision  equal  to  the  most 
trying  emergencies — a consummate  skill — a gene- 
rosity of  soul  which  tempered  the  sterner  qualities  of 
the  head,  and  recommended  him  to  the  esteem  of 
all — a humanity  of  feeling  which  made  him  no  less 
attentive  to  the  comforts  and  happiness  of  those  whom 
the  fortune  of  war  threw  into  his  power  than  he  had 
been  ambitious  to  conquer  them.  He  spent  a long 
life  upon  the  ocean,  and  was  engaged  in  every  variety 
of  service.  He  knew  how  to  conciliate  those  who 
were  subjected  to  his  command,  and,  although  a rigid 
disciplinarian,  he  never  failed  to  secure  the  attach- 
ment of  his  sailors.  It  is  worthy  of  especial  remark, 
that  no  one  who  has  sailed  with  him  as  a seaman  has 


88  CHARACTER  OF  COMMODORE  BARR^. 

ever  been  heard  to  speak  of  him  but  with  affection 
and  gratitude.  He  never  found  any  difficulty  in 
making  up  a crew,  and  desertion  from  his  ship  was 
unknown. 

In  the  various  relations  of  private  life  he  was  no 
less  unexceptionable.  As  a citizen  he  was  exem- 
olary — as  a friend  sincere, — as  a husband  tender  and 
affectionate.  The  affability  and  frankness  of  his  de- 
portment, ingratiated  him  with  all  who  enjoyed  the 
pleasure  of  his  acquaintance;  there  was  a native 
humour  in  his  character  which  gave  it  peculiar  in- 
terest. His  mansion  was  ever  the  residence  of  hos- 
pitality. Jealous  of  his  own  honour  he  was  never 
known  to  injure,  designedly,  the  feelings  of  any  one ; 
and,  though  possessed  of  a quickness  of  sensibility  to 
the  appearance  of  offence  or  impropriety,  he  never 
failed  to  express  his  regret,  and  to  make  atonement 
for  injuries  prompted  by  an  excess  of  feeling.  He 
was  just,  charitable,  and  without  disguise.  As  he 
was  educated  in  the  habits  of  religion,  so  he  cultivated 
them  through  life;  he  enforced  a strict  observance  of 
divine  worship  on  board  his  ship,  and  scrupulously 
attended  to  the  moral  deportment  of  his  crew;  he  had 
himself  experienced  the  comforts  of  religion,  and  he 
died  in  its  faith. 

Commodore  Barry  was  in  size  above  the  ordinary 
stature;  bis  person  was  graceful  and  commanding. 
His  whole  deportment  was  marked  by  dignity  unmixed 
with  ostentation;  and  his  strongly  marked  countenance 
was  expressive  at  once  of  the  qualities  of  his  mind, 
and  the  virtues  of  his  heart. ^ 


* Port  Folio. 


NICHOLAS  BIDDLE. 


I B E R T Y never 
had  a more  intre- 
pid defender  than 
the  subject  of  this 
memoir.  Among 
the  brave  men  who 
perished  in  the  glo- 
rious struggle  for 
the  independence 
of  America,  Cap- 
tain Nicholas 
Biddle  holds  a distinguished  rank.  His  services, 
and  the  high  expectations  raised- by  his  military  genius 


M 


8* 


89 


90 


SHIPWRECK. 


and  gallantry,  have  left  a strong  impression  of  his 
merit,  and  a profound  regret  that  his  early  fate  should 
have  disappointed  so  soon  the  hopes  of  his  country. 

Nicholas  Biddle  was  horn  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia, on  the  tenth  day  of  September,  1750.  His 
father,  Mr.  William  Biddle,  was  a native  of  New 
Jersey,  son  of  William  Biddle,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
and  proprietors  of  that  State,  from  whom  he  inherited 
a very  large  fortune,  which  his  losses  in  trade,  and 
the  engagements  of  suretyship  for  a friend  had  greatly 
reduced.  His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Scull,  Esq.,  who  was,  for  many  years,  Surveyor- 
General  of  Pennsylvania;  and  of  these  worthy  and 
respectable  parents  he  was  the  sixth  son. 

Mr.  Biddle,  very  early  in  life,  manifested  his  par- 
tiality for  the  sea,  and  before  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
had  made  a voyage  to  Quebec.  In  the  following 
year,  1765,  he  sailed  from  Philadelphia  to  Jamaica, 
and  the  bay  of  Honduras.  The  vessel  left  the  bay  in 
the  latter  end  of  December  1765,  hound  to  Antigua, 
and  the  second  day  of  January,  in  a heavy  gale  of 
wind,  she  was  cast  away  on  a shoal,  called  the 
Northern  Triangles.  After  remaining  two  nights 
and  a day  upon  the  wreck,  the  crew  took  to  their 
yawl,  the  long-boat  having  been  lost,  and  with  great 
difficulty  and  hazard  landed  on  one  of  the  small  un- 
inhabited islands,  about  three  leagues  distant  from 
the  reef,  upon  which  they  struck.  Here  they  staid  a 
few  days.  Some  provisions  were  procured  from  the 
wreck,  and  their  boat  was  refitted.  As  it  was  too 
small  to  carry  them  all  off,  they  drew  lots  to  deter- 
mine who  should  remain,  and  young  Biddle  was 
among  the  number.  He,  and  his  three  companions. 


IN  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE. 


91 


Mr.  Biddle  shipwrecked  on  the  Northern  Triangles. 


Sv  Sered  extreme  hardships,  for  want  of  provisions 
a)  d good  water,  and  although  various  efforts  were 
m ide  for  their  relief,  it  was  nearly  two  months  before 
they  succeeded. 

Such  a scene  of  dangers  and  sufferings,  in  the  com- 
mencement of  his  career,  would  have  discouraged  a 
youth  of  ordinary  enterprise  and  perseverance.  On 
him  it  produced  no  such  effect.  The  coolness  and 
promptitude  with  which  he  acted,  in  the  midst  of 
perils  that  alarmed  the  oldest  seamen,  gave  a sure 
presage  of  the  force  of  his  character,  and  after  he  had 
returned  home,  he  made  several  European  voyages, 
in  which  he  acquired  a thorough  knowledge  of  sea- 
manship. 

In  the  year  1 770,  when  a war  between  Great  Britain 
and  Spain  was  expected,  in  consequence  of  the  dispute 
relative  to  Falkland’s  Island,  he  went  to  London,  in 
order  to  enter  into  the  British  navy.  He  took  with 


92  ‘ EXPLORING  EXPEDITION. 

him  letters  of  recommendation  from  Thomas  Willing, 
Esq.,  to  his  brother-in-law.  Captain  Sterling,  on  board 
of  whose  ship  he  served  for  some  time  as  a midship- 
man. The  dispute  with  Spain  being  accommodated, 
he  intended  to  leave  the  navy,  but  was  persuaded  by 
Captain  Sterling  to  remain  in  the  service,  promising 
that  he  would  use  all  his  interest  to  get  him  promoted. 
His  ardent  mind,  however,  could  not  rest  satisfied 
with  the  inactivity  of  his  situation,  which  he  was 
impatient  to  change  for  one  more  suited  to  his  dis- 
position. 

In  the  year  1773,  a voyage  of  discovery  was  under- 
taken, at  the  request  of  the  Royal  Society,  in  order 
to  ascertain  how  far  navigation  was  practicable  to- 
wards the  North  Pole,  to  advance  the  discovery  of  a 
northwest  passage  into  the  South  seas,  and  to  make 
such  astronomical  observations  as  might  prove  service- 
able to  navigation. 

Two  vessels,  the  Race  Horse  and  Carcase,  were 
fitted  out  for  the  expedition,  the  command  of  which 
was  given  to  the  Hon.  Captain  Phipps,  afterwards 
Lord  Mulgrave.  The  peculiar  dangers  to  which  such 
an  undertaking  was  exposed,  induced  the  government 
to  take  extraordinary  precautions  in  fitting  out,  ana 
preparing  the  vessels,  and  selecting  the  crews ; and  a 
positive  order  was  issued  that  no  boys  should  be  re- 
ceived on  board. 

To  the  bold  and  enterprising  spirit  of  young  Biddle 
such  an  expedition  had  great  attractions.  Extremely 
anxious  to  join  it,  he  endeavoured  to  procure  Captain 
Sterling’s  permission  for  that  purpose,  but  he  was 
unwilling  to  part  with  him,  and  would  not  consent  to 
let  him  go.  The  temptation  was,  however,  irresis- 


EXPLORING  VOYAGE. 


93 


tible.  He  resolved  to  go,  and  laying  aside  his  uniform 
he  entered  on  board  the  Carcase  before  the  mast. 
When  he  first  went  on  board,  he  was  observed  by  a 
seaman  who  had  known  him  before  and  was  very 
much  attached  to  him.  The  honest  fellow  thinking 
that  he  must  have  been  degraded  and  turned  before 
the  mast  in  disgrace  was  greatly  affected  at  seeing 
him ; but  he  was  equally  surprised  and  pleased  when 
he  learned  the  true  cause  of  the  young  officer’s  dis- 
guise, and  he  kept  his  secret  as  he  was  requested  to 
do.  Impelled  by  the  same  spirit,  young  Horatio, 
afterwards  Lord  Nelson,  had  solicited  and  obtained 
permission  to  enter  on  board  the  same  vessel.  These 
youthful  adventurers  are  both  said  to  have  been  ap- 
pointed coxswains,  a station  always  assigned  to  the 
most  active  and  trusty  seamen.  The  particulars  of 
this  expedition  are  well  known  to  the  public.  These 
intrepid  navigators  penetrated  as  far  as  the  latitude 
of  eighty-one  degrees  and  thirty-nine  minutes,  and 
they  were  at  one  time  enclosed  with  mountains  of  ice, 
and  their  vessels  rendered  almost  immovable  for  five 
days,  at  the  hazard  of  instant  destruction.  Captain 
Biddle  kept  a journal  of  his  voyage,  which  was  after- 
wards lost  with  him. 

The  commencement  of  the  revolution  gave  a new 
turn  to  his  pursuits,  and  he  repaired,  without  delay, 
to  the  standard  of  his  country.  When  a rupture  be- 
tween England  and  America  appeared  inevitable,  he 
returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  soon  after  his  arrival, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Camden 
galley,  fitted  for  the  defence  of  the  Delaware.  He 
found  this  too  inactive  a service,  and  when  the  fleet 


94  ' EXPEDITION  TO  NEW  PROVIDENCE. 

was  preparing,  under  Commodore  Hopkins,  for  an 
expedition  against  New  Providence,  he  applied  for  a 
command  in  the  fleet,  and  was  immediately  appointed 
commander  of  the  Andrew  Doria,  a brig  of  fourteen 
guns  and  a hundred  and  thirty  men.  Paul  Jones, 
who  was  then  a lieutenant,  and  was  going  on  the  ex- 
pedition, was  distinguished  by  Captain  Biddle,  and 
introduced  to  his  friends  as  an  officer  of  merit. 

Writing  from  the  Capes  to  his  brother,  the  late 
Judge  Biddle,  he  says,  “ I know  not  what  may  be  our 
fate ; he  it,  however,  what  it  may,  you  may  rest  as- 
sured I will  never  cause  a blush  in  the  cheeks  of  .my 
friends  or  countrymen.”  Soon  after  they  sailed,  the 
small-pox  broke  out  and  raged  with  great  violence  in 
the  fleet,  which  was  manned  chiefly  by  New  England 
seamen.  The  humanity  of  Captain  Biddle,  always 
prompt  and  active,  was  employed  on  this  occasion,  to 
alleviate  the  general  distress,  by  all  the  means  in  his 
power.  His  own  crew,  which  was  from  Philadelphia, 
being  secure  against  the  distemper,  he  took  on  board 
great  numbers  of  the  sick  from  the  other  vessels. 
Every  part  of  his  vessel  was  crowded,  the  long-boat 
was  fitted  for  their  accommodation,  and  he  gave  up  his 
own  cot  to  a young  midshipman  on  whom  he  bestowed 
the  greatest  attention  till  his  death.  In  the  mean- 
while he  slept  himself  upon  the  lockers,  refusing  the 
repeated  solicitations  of  his  officers  to  accept  their 
births.  On  their  arrival  at  New  Providence,  it  sur- 
rendered without  opposition.  The  crew  of  the 
Andrew  Doria,  from  their  crowded  situation  became 
sick,  and  before  she  left  Providence,  there  were 
not  men  enough  capable  of  doing  duty  to  man  the 


CRt  SE  ON  THE  BANKS. 


95 


boats;  Captain  Biddle  visited  them  everj;  day,  and 
ordered  every  necessary  refreshment,  but  they  con- 
tinued sickly  until  they  arrived  at  New  London. 

After  refitting  at  New  London,  Captain  Biddle 
received  orders  to  proceed  otf  the  Banks  of  New 
foundland,  in  order  to  intercept  the  transports  and 
storeships  bound  to  Boston.  Before  he  reached  the 
Banks,  he  captured  two  ships  from  Scotland,  with 
four  hundred  Highland  troops  on  board,  destined  for 
Boston.  At  this  time  the  Andrew  Doria  had  not  one 
hundred  men.  Lieutenant  Josiah,  a brave  and  ex- 
cellent officer,  was  put  on  board  one  of  the  prizes, 
with  all  the  Highland  officers,  and  ordered  to  make 
the  first  port.  Unfortunately,  about  ten  days  after- 
wards, he  was  taken  by  the  Cerberus  frigate,  and  on 
pretence  of  his  being  an  Englishman,  he  was  ordered 
to  do  duty,  and  extremely  ill  used.  Captain  Biddle 
hearing  of  the  ill-treatment  of  Lieutenant  Josiah, 
wrote  to  the  Admiral  at  New  York,  that  however 
disagreeable  it  was  to  him,  he  would  treat  a young 
man  of  family,  believed  to  be  a son  of  Lord  Cranston, 
who  was  then  his  prisoner,  in  the  same  manner  they 
treated  Lieutenant  Josiah. 

He  also  applied  to  his  own  government  in  behalf 
of  this  injured  officer,  and  by  the  proceedings  of  Con- 
gress, on  the  7th  of  August,  1776,  it  appears,  “That 
a letter  from  Captain  Nicholas  Biddle  to  the  Marine 
Committee,  was  laid  before  Congress  and  read ; 
Whereupon,  Resolved^  That  General  Washington  be 
directed  to  propose  an  exchange  of  Lieutenant  Josiah 
for  a lieutenant  of  the  navy  of  Great  Britain  : That 
the  General  remonstrate  to  Lord  Howe  on  the  cruel 
treatment  Lieutenant  Josiah  has  met  with,  of  which 


1 


96  APPOINTED  TO  THE  RANDOLPH. 

the  Congress  have  received  undoubted  information.” 
Lieutenant  Josiah  was  exchanged  after  an  imprison- 
ment of  ten  months.  After  the  capture  of  the  ships 
with  the  Highlanders,  such  was  Captain  Biddings 
activity  and  success  in  taking  prizes,  that  when  he 
arrived  in  the  Delaware  he  had  but  five  of  the  crew 
with  which  he  sailed  from  New  London,  the  rest 
having  been  distributed  among  the  captured  vessels, 
and  their  places  supplied  by  men  who  had  entered 
from  the  prizes.  He  had  a great  number  of  prisoners, 
so  that  for  some  days  before  he  got  in  he  never  left 
the  deck. 

While  he  was  thus  indefatigably  engaged  in  weak- 
ening the  enemy’s  power,  and  advancing  his  country’s 
interest,  he  was  disinterested  and  generous  in  all  that 
related  to  his  private  advantage.  The  brave  and 
worthy  opponent  whom  the  chance  of  war  had  thrown 
in  his  power,  found  in  him  a patron  and  friend,  who 
on  more  than  one  occasion  was  known  to  restore  to 
the  vanquished  the  fruits  of  victory. 

In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1776,  Captain  Biddle 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Randolph,  a 
frigate  of  thirty-two  guns.  With  his  usual  activity 
he  employed  every  exertion  to  get  her  ready  for  sea. 
The  difficulty  of  procuring  American  seamen  at  that 
time  obliged  him,  in  order  to  man  his  ship,  to  take  a 
number  of  British  seamen,  who  were  prisoners  of 
war,  and  who  had  requested  leave  to  enter. 

The  Randolph  sailed  from  Philadelphia  in  Febru- 
ary 1777.  Soon  after  she  got  to  sea  her  lower  masts 
were  discovered  to  be  unsound,  and,  in  a heavy  gale 
of  wind,  all  her  masts  went  by  the  board.  While 
they  were  bearing  away  for  Charleston,  the  English 


CAPTURES  THE  TRUE  BRITON.  97 

sailors,  with  some  others  of  .he  crew,  formed  the  de- 
sign to  take  the  ship.  When  all  was  ready  they  gave 
three  cheers  on  the  gun-deck.  By  the  decided  and 
resolute  conduct  of  Captain  Biddle  and  his  officers, 
the  ringleaders  were  seized  and  punished,  and  the 
rest  submitted  without  further  resistance.  After  re- 
fitting at  Charleston,  as  speedily  as  possible,  he  sailed 
on  a cruise,  and  three  days  after  he  left  the  Bar,  he 
fell  in  with  four  sail  of  vessels,  bound  from  Jamaica 
to  London.  One  of  them — called  the  True  Briton — 
mounted  twenty  guns.  The  commander  of  her,  who 
had  frequently  expressed  to  his  passengers  his  hopes 
of  falling  in  with  the  Randolph,  as  soon  as  he  per- 
ceived her,  made  all  the  sail  he  could  from  her,  but 
finding  he  could  not  escape,  he  hove  to,  and  kept  up 
a constant  fire,  until  the  Randolph  had  borne  down 
upon  him,  and  was  preparing  for  a broadside,  when 
he  hauled  down  his  colours.  By  her  superior  sailing, 
the  Randolph  was  enabled  to  capture  the  rest  of  the 
vessels,  and  in  one  week  from  the  time  he  sailed  from 
Charleston,  Captain  Biddle  returned  there  with  his 
prizes,  which  proved  to  be  very  valuable. 

Encouraged  by  his  spirit  and  success,  the  State  of 
South  Carolina  made  exertions  for  fitting  out  an 
expedition  under  his  command.  His  name  and  the 
personal  attachment  to  him  urged  forward  a crowd  of 
volunteers  to  serve  with  him,  and,  in  a short  time,  the 
ship  General  Moultrie,  the  brigs  Fair  American,  and 
Polly,  and  the  Notre  Dame  were  prepared  for  sea. 
A detachment  of  fifty  men  from  the  first  regiment  of 
South  Carolina  Continental  infantry  was  ordered  to 
act  as  marines  on  board  the  Randolph.  The  regiment 
was  then  commanded  by  Colonel,  afterwards  General 
N 9 

\ 


98  SAILS  FROM  CHARLESTON. 

Charles  Cotesworth  Pinckney,  who,  with  his  officers 
and  soldiers,  would  have  done  honour  to  any  service. 
Such,  says  our  informant — himself  a gallant  officer  of 
that  regiment, — was  the  attachment  which  the  honour- 
able and  amiable  deportment  of  Captain  Biddle  had 
impressed  during  his  stay  at  Charleston,  and  such  the 
confidence  inspired  by  his  professional  conduct  and 
valour,  that  a general  emulation  pervaded  the  corps 
to  have  the  honour  of  serving  under  his  command. 
The  tour  of  duty,  after  a generous  competition  among 
the  officers,  was  decided  to  Captain  Joor,  and  lieute- 
nants Grey  and  Simmons,  whose  gallant  conduct,  and 
that  of  their  brave  detachment,  did  justice  to  the  high 
character  of  the  regiment.  As  soon  as  the  Randolph 
was  refitted,  and  a new  mainmast  obtained  in  place  of 
one  which  had  been  struck  with  lightning,^  she  dropped 
down  to  Rebellion  Roads  with  her  little  squadron. 
Their  intention  was  to  attack  the  Carysfort  frigate, 
the  Perseus,  twenty-four  gun  ship,  the  Hinchinbrook, 
of  sixteen  guns,  and  a privateer  which  had  been 
cruising  off  the  Bar,  and  had  much  annoyed  the  trade. 
They  were  detained  a considerable  time  in  Rebellion 
Roads,  after  they  were  ready  to  sail,  by  contrary 
winds  and  want  of  water  on  the  Bar  for  the  Ran- 
dolph. As  soon  as  they  got  over  the  Bar,  they  stood 
to  the  eastward,  in  expectation  of  falling  in  with  the 
British  cruisers.  The  next  day  they  retook  a dis- 
masted ship  from  New  England ; as  she  had  no  cargo 
on  board  they  took  out  her  crew,  six  light  guns  and 
some  stores,  and  set  her  on  fire.  Finding  that  the 
British  ships  had  left  the  coast,  they  proceeded  to 

* After  this  accident,  he  used  a conductor,  the  novelty  of  which,  at 
that  time,  excited  much  attention. 


CRUISE  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES.  99 

the  West  Indies,  and  cruised  to  the  eastward,  and 
nearly  in  the  latitude  of  Barbadoes  for  some  days, 
during  which  time  they  boarded  a number  of  French 
and  Dutch  ships,  and  took  an  English  schooner  from 
New  York  bound  to  Grenada,  which  had  mistaken 
the  Randolph  for  a British  frigate,  and  was  taken 
possession  of  before  the  mistake  was  discovered. 

On  the  night  of  the  7th  of  March,  1778,  the  fatal 
accident  occurred,  which  terminated  the  life  of  this 
excellent  officer.  For  some  days  previously,  he  had 
expected  an  attack.  Captain  Blake,  a brave  officer, 
who  commanded  a detachment  of  the  second  South 
Carolina  regiment,  serving  as  marines  on  board  the 
General  Moultrie,  and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
several  of  the  ensuing  particulars,  dined  on  board  the 
Randolph  two  days  before  the  engagement.  At  dinner. 
Captain  Biddle  said,  “We  have  been  cruising  here 
for  some  time,  and  have  spoken  a number  of  vessels, 
who  will,  no  doubt,  give  information  of  us,  and  I 
should  not  be  surprised  if  my  old  ship  should  be  out 
after  us.  As  to  any  thing  that  carries  her  guns  upon 
one  deck,  I think  myself  a match  for  her.”  About 
three,  P.  M.,  of  the  7th  of  March,  a signal  was  made 
from  the  Randolph  for  a sail  to  windward,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  squadron  hauled  upon  a wind,  in 
order  to  speak  her.  It  was  four  o’clock,  before  she 
could  be  distinctly  seen,  when  she  was  discovered  to 
be  a ship,  though  as  she  neared  and  came  before  the 
w^nd,  she  had  the  appearance  of  a large  sloop  with 
only  a square-sail  set.  About  seven  o’clock,  the 
Randolph  being  to  windward  hove  to,  the  Moultrie 
being  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  astern,  and 


100  BIDDLE’S  LAST  BATTLE. 

rather  to  leeward,  also  hove  to.  About  eight  o’clock, 
the  British  ship  fired  a shot  just  ahead  of  the  Moul- 
trie, and  hailed  her,  the  answer  was  the  Polly  of  New 
York,  upon  which  she  immediately  hauled  her  wind, 
and  hailed  the  Randolph.  She  was  then  for  the  first 
time  discovered  to  be  a two-decker.  After  several 
questions  asked  and  answered,  as  she  was  ranging  up 
alongside  the  Randolph,  and  had  got  on  her  weather 
quarter.  Lieutenant  Barnes,  of  that  ship,  called  out. 
This  is  the  Randolph,”  and  she  immediately  hoisted 
her  colours  and  gave  the  enemy  a broadside.  Shortly 
after  the  action  commenced.  Captain  Biddle  received 
a wound  in  the  thigh  and  fell.  This  occasioned  some 
confusion,  as  it  was  at  first  thought  that  he  was  killed. 
He  soon,  however,  ordered  a chair  to  be  brought, 
said  that  he  was  only  slightly  wounded,  and  being 
carried  forward  encouraged  the  crew.  The  stern 
of  the  enemy’s  ship  being  clear  of  the  Randolph, 
the  captain  of  the  Moultrie  gave  orders  to  fire,  but 
the  enemy  having  shot  ahead,  so  as  to  bring  the  Ran- 
dolph between  them,  the  last  broadside  of  the  Moul- 
trie went  into  the  Randolph,  and  it  was  thought  by 
one  of  the  men  saved  who  was  stationed  on  the  quar- 
ter-deck near  Captain  Biddle,  that  he  was  wounded 
by  shot  from  the  Moultrie.  The  fire  from  the  Ran- 
dolph was  constant  and  well-directed.  She  fired 
nearly  three  broadsides  to  the  enemy’s  one,  and  she 
appeared,  'while  the  battle  lasted,  to  be  in  a continual 
blaze.  In  about  twenty  minutes  after  the  action 
began,  and  while  the  surgeon  was  examining  Captain 
Biddle’s  wound  on  the  quarter-deck,  the  Randolph 
blew  up. 


T/tU,'; 


. . . . 


' ■«  > *»•/.  • . C^'— • ' 

i.S5«?i-  '■  V’?S" 


fel'l-  ■ v.'.i.  . ' 

-,.;4  ■'•■f"'.‘-" 

C-aW^'  ''  1>  ■ .^1  Iv  •'.!.■ 


fir 


aK7j-,  ''  .>;'^'fe' . /'p<  ' 

• • ■ .'  i,  ^’Vr.'^.(i«:’  ^^  •■  . • ' , ■,'.  • 

r'?#v':ri 


ft.  , 

/‘VM:  . •’  "' 

n’..  .'> 


.'V;.-r‘,;4?;r  -• 

' ; 7^ 


Action  between  the  Randolph  and  Yarmouth. 


LOSS  OF  THE  RANDOLPH.  103 

The  enemy’s  vessel  was  the  British  ship  Yarmouth, 
of  sixty-four  guns,  commanded  by  Captain  Vincent. 
So  closely  were  they  engaged,  that  Captain  Morgan, 
cf  the  Fair  American,  and  all  his  crew,  thought  that 
it  was  the  enemy’s  ship  that  had  blown  up.  He  stood 
for  the  Yarmouth,  and  had  a trumpet  in  his  hand  to 
hail  and  inquire  how  Captain  Biddle  was,  when  he 
discovered  his  mistake.  Owing  to  the  disabled  con- 
dition of  the  Yarmouth  the  other  vessels  escaped. 

The  cause  of  the  explosion  was  never  ascertained ; 
but  it  is  remarkable  that  just  before  he  sailed,  after 
the  clerk  had  copied  the  signals  and  orders  for  the 
armed  vessels  that  accompanied  him,  he  wrote  at  the 
foot  of  them,  “ in  case  of  coming  to  action  in  the 
night,  be  very  careful  of  your  magazines.”  The 
number  of  persons  on  board  the  Randolph  was  three 
hundred  and  fifteen,  who  all  perished,  except  four 
men,  who  were  tossed  about  for  four  days  on  a piece 
of  the  wreck  before  they  were  discovered  and  taken 
up.  From  the  information  of  tw^o  of  these  men,  who 
were  afterwards  in  Philadelphia,  and  of  some  indi- 
viduals in  the  other  vessels  of  the  squadron,  we  have 
been  enabled  to  state  some  particulars  of  this  unfor- 
tunate event  in  addition  to  the  accounts  given  of  it 
by  Hr.  Ramsay  in  his  History  of  the  American  Re- 
volution, and  in  his  history  of  the  revolution  of  South 
Carolina.  In  the  former  work,  the  historian  thus 
concludes  his  account  of  the  action : Captain  Biddle, 

who  perished  on  board  the  Randolph,  was  universally 
lamented.  He  was  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  had  ex- 
cited high  expectations  of  future  usefulness  to  his 
country,  as  a bold  and  skilful  naval  officer.” 


104  CHARACTER  OF  CAPTAIN  BIDDLE. 

Thus  prematurely  fell  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven, 
as  gallant  an  officer  as  any  country  ever  boasted  of. 
In  the  short  career  which  Providence  allowed  to  him, 
he  displayed  all  those  qualities  which  constitute  a 
great  soldier.  Brave  to  excess,  and  consummately 
skilled  in  his  profession,  no  danger  nor  unexpected 
event  could  shake  his  firmness,  or  disturb  his  presence 
'Of  mind.  An  exact  and  rigid  disciplinarian,  he  tem- 
pered his  authority  with  so  much  humanity  and  affa- 
bility, that  his  orders  were  always  executed  with  cheer 
fulness  and  alacrity.  Perhaps  no  officer  ever  under- 
stood better  the  art  of  commanding  the  affections  as 
w^ell  as  the  respect  of  those  who  served  under  him : if 
that  can  he  called  an  art  which  was  rather  the  natural 
effect  of  the  benevolence  and  magnanimity  of  his 
character. 

The  virtues  of  his  private  life  endeared  him  to  a 
numerous  circle  of  friends.  With  the  frankness  and 
manliness  of  character,  which  eminently  belong  to  the 
officers  of  his  profession.  Captain  Biddle  united  other 
qualities  of  much  more  rare  occurrence.  The  most 
amiable  mildness  and  modesty  of  manners,  a strict 
and  rigid  temperance,  and  a strong  habititual  sense 
of  his  religious  and  moral  duties.  A sincere  Chris- 
tian, his  religious  impressions  had  a decided  and 
powerful  influence  upon  his  conduct.  Even  his 
native  courage  was  heightened  by  the  reflection,  that 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  all  personal  consequences 
were  to  he  disregarded.  His  temper  was  uniformly 
cheerful,  and  his  conversation  sprightly  and  enter- 
taining. In  his  person  he  was  about  five  feet  nine 
inches  high,  remarkably  handsome,  strong  and  active 


CHARACTER  OF  CAPTAIN  BIDDLE.  105 

Before  he  left  Charleston,  he  was  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried, on  his  return,  to  a young  lady  of  that  place. 

By  the  numerous  living  witnesses  of  his  worth,  and 
extraordinary  promise,  his  memory  is  cherished  with 
peculiar  fondness,  and  it  will  ever  be  respected  by 
the  brave  and  the  patriotic.^ 

* Port  Folio. 


O 


E W among  the  naval 
heroes  of  our  country, 
have  gone  through 
more  varieties  of  active 
service,  or  experienced 
greater  vicissitudes  of 
fortune,  than  the  sub- 
ject of  this  memoir. 
His  life  has  been  writ- 
ten in  a most  enter- 
taining style,  by  his  relative,  Mrs.  Mary  Barney ; and 
it  is  from  this  source  that  we  have  drawn  the  principal 
facts  contained  in  the  following  sketch. 


JOSHUA  BARNEY. 


106 


EARLY  LIFE. 


107 


Commodore  Joshua  Barney  was  born  at  Balti- 
more, on  the  sixth  of  July,  1759.  His  ancestors 
had  emigrated  from  England,  where  they  maintained 
a middling  rank,  and  were  of  reputable  character. 
Education,  in  those  days,  was  only  to  be  obtained  at 
considerable  expense,  and  that  but  rarely  in  a new 
country  which  had  but  few  inhabitants ; and  some  of 
these  without  fortune  or  learning.  He  went  to  school 
very  young,  and  having  attained  the  principles  of  arith- 
metic, reading  and  writing,  he  left,  at  ten  years  of  age. 
Even  at  this  early  period  he  had  acquired  a decided 
liking  for  the  sea,  which  the  parents  endeavoured  to 
divert  to  some  other  object,  by  putting  him  to  various 
employments,  without  success.  Finding  that  these 
trials  tended  but  to  increase  his  ardent  desire  for 
the  sea,  they  resolved — however,  unwillingly — to  let 
him  try  his  fortune  in  the  profession  of  his  choice. 
When  they  placed  him  with  a pilot,  they  still  enter- 
tained hopes  that  a few  months’  service  would  make 
him  lose  his  predilection  for  this  toilsome  pursuit, 
and  return  to  the  domestic  circle.  But  the  waste  of 
waters  was  to  him  a home,  however  dreary ; and  the 
result  of  every  subsequent  excursion  pronounced 
more  clearly  that  he  was  destined  to  lead  the  life  of  a 
sailor.  The  fond  parents,  seeing  this,  thought  fit  to 
provide  permanently  for  his  advancement,  until  he 
should  be  able  to  control  his  own  movements : an  op- 
portunity soon  offered.  Captain  Thomas  Drysdale, 
(his  brother-in-law,)  was  then  in  port,  with  a small 
brig,  and  offered  to  receive  him  on  board — a favour 
which  the  family  accepted,  and  young  Barney  forth- 
with entered  upon  his  new  engagement.  The  first 
voyage  was  to  Liverpool , when,  after  the  delivery  of 


108  VOYAGE  TO  NICE. 

the  cargo,  the  brig  was  unexpectedly  sold,  and  the 
master  secured  a passage  for  himself  and  Barney,  for 
Baltimore.  Although  our  hero  had  loved  the  sea  so 
well,  yet  he  longed  for  a sight  of  home  and  his  rela- 
tions. When  he  arrived,  he  received  the  unwelcome 
intelligence  that  his  father  had  been  called  to  his  last 
home,  and  found  the  family  plunged  in  the  deepest 
affliction. 

After  visiting  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood,  he  again 
resumed  his  former  vocation,  and  made  several 
voyages  to  Europe,  in  company  with  his  brother-in- 
law.  On  the  22d  of  December,  1774,  he  entered 
upon  a voyage  which,  though  it  terminated  the  life 
of  Captain  Drysdale,  shows,  most  conclusively,  the 
energy  and  resources  of  Barney’s  mind.  The  Captain 
died  in  a week  after  they  had  set  sail,  and  the  first 
mate  having  left  the  ship  in  consequence  of  a quarrel, 
it  became  necessary  for  young  Barney  to  command 
and  conduct  the  ship  to  her  destination,  Nice;  an 
undertaking  of  no  small  difficulty,  considering  the 
leaky  state  of  the  vessel,  the  inexperience  of  her 
commander,  and  the  distance  of  the  port ; yet  he 
cheerfully  undertook  it.  As  they  proceeded  on  their 
voyage  the  leak  gained  upon  them,  notwithstanding 
they  kept  the  pumps  going  day  and  night,  and,  on 
entering  the  Mediterranean,  they  were  overtaken  by 
a storm  which  threatened  to  complete  their  ruin; 
they  were  able,  however,  to  put  into  Gibraltar,  and 
Barney,  taking  all  responsibility  upon  himself,  had 
the  ship  repaired ; an  operation  which  occupied  three 
months,  and  they  then  set  sail  for  their  destination, 
where  they  arrived  in  safety.  Here,  again,  his  mental 
energies  were  taxed  to  the  utmost,  for  the  Nicene 


ENTERS  THE  AMERICAN  SERVICE.  109 

merchants  determined  not  to  pay  the  expenses  o"  re- 
pairs at  Gibraltar,  and  the  Governor  seconding  them, 
young  Barney  was  thrown  into  prison ; but  he  was 
soon  afterwards  released.  As  all  American  vessels 
then  sailed  under  English  colours,  he  hoisted  the 
union  jack,  considering,  that  if  they  attempted  to  take 
the  vessel,  it  would  be  considered  a national  insult, 
and  as  such  would  be  resented.  In  this  he  was  right. 

The  cost  of  repairs  being  paid,  he  set  sail  for 
America ; but,  on  the  way,  he  touched  at  Alicant,  in 
Spain,  and,  as  his  Catholic  Majesty  was  then  fitting 
out  his  memorable  expedition  against  Algiers,  he  was 
detained,  and  employed  in  the  service  of  the  expedi- 
tion. It  would  not  be  in  place,  here  to  give  a 
description  of  that  unfortunate  and  disgraceful  expe- 
dition ; which  resulted  in  the  utter  discomfiture  of  the 
Spaniards.  After  this  he  returned  to  America,  where 
he  was  first  informed  of  the  rebellion  of  the  colonies, 
and  that  the  battles  of  Lexington  and  Bunker’s  Hill 
had  been  already  fought.  He  was  but  sixteen  years 
old  when  he  returned  from  this  eventful  voyage,  and, 
considering  the  struggle  of  the  colonies  a just  one,  he 
determined  to  enter  into  their  service.  The  country 
was  in  a state  of  great  excitement,  and  young  Barney 
allowed  himself  little  or  no  relaxation ; but  learning 
that  there  were  two  vessels  equipping  at  Baltimore, 
he  immediately  offered  his  services,  and  was  received 
as  master’s  mate,  on  board  of  the  sloop  of  war  Hornet, 
of  ten  guns,  which  was  destined  to  join  the  squadron 
of  Commodore  Hopkins. 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  November  1775,  the  Hor- 
net, in  company  with  another  Bdtimore  vesssel — the 
Wasp — set  sail,  and  cleared  the  capes,  without  being 

10 


110  ENCOUNTER  WITH  THE  TENDER. 

seen  by  the  British  cruisers,  and  found  the  squadron  of 
Commodore  Hopkins,  consisting  of  five  ships,  mount- 
ing one  hundred  and  two  guns,  and  the  Fly  tender, 
anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the  Delaware.  The  fleet  im- 
mediately set  sail,  and  without  any  adventure  arrived  at 
the  place  of  rendezvous,  where  their  destination  was 
made  known.  New  Providence,  one  of  the  Bahamas, 
was  the  object  of  attack,  and  thither  they  steered ; 
but,  on  the  passage,  during  a stormy  night,  the  Hornet 
lost  her  masthead  and  boom,  in  consequence  of  the 
Fly  tender  running  foul  of  her,  and  she  became  sepa- 
rated from  the  rest  of  the  fleet.  This  untoward 
accident  compelled  the  captain  to  steer  for  the  nearest 
port  and  repair.  They  arrived  off  the  mouth  of  the 
Delaware  about  the  first  of  April,  where  they  were 
informed  that  the  British  ship  Roebuck,  of  forty-four 
guns,  lay  at  anchor  in  the  road.«i,  and  that  her  tender 
was  cruising  in  quest  of  prizes.  The  captain,  affect- 
ing to  be  under  the  influence  of  religious  scruples, 
determined  to  avoid  her,  but  in  so  doing,  fell  upon  her 
track  and  soon  encountered  her,  and  the  captain  was 
about  to  surrender,  but  the  tender,  seeing,  as  she 
neared,  the  force  of  the  sloop,  sheered  off.  The 
sloop  in  going  up  the  channel  ran  ashore,  but  was  got 
off  with  the  loss  of  her  rudder,  and  after  a cold,  tem- 
pestuous run,  arrived  at  Philadelphia. 

Barney  now  left  the  Hornet,  and  volunteered  his 
services  to  Captain  Charles  Alexander,  a Scotchman, 
who  had  entered  the  American  service,  and  held  the 
command  of  the  W asp.  The  W asp  having  convoyed  a 
vessel  richly  laden,  clear  of  the  coast,  returned  to  the 
Delaware,  where  her  commander  discovered,  lying  in 
the  roads,  the  Roebuck,  forty-four,  and  the  Liverpool, 


EXPLOSION. 


Ill 


twenty-eight — two  British  frigates  which  had  entered 
the  river  in  her  absence.  The  Wasp  was  pursued 
by  the  latter ; but  the  British  ship,  having  no  pilot, 
ran  ashore,  and  the  little  schooner  escaped  to  the 
Cape  May  channel,  where  she  found  two  other  Ame- 
rican vessels — the  Lexington,  and  the  Surprise — 
lying  securely  at  anchor,  their  commanders.  Captains 
Barry  and  Weeks,  being  ignorant  of  the  near  vicinity 
of  the  enemy.  In  the  meantime  the  Liverpool  got 
off,  and  commenced  the  chase  of  a vessel  laden  with 
ammunition.  The  three  American  commanders  ob- 
serving this,  made  preparations  to  give  the  enemy  a 
warm  reception.  But  the  Roebuck  appearing  in  sight 
disconcerted  their  plans,  and  made  them  seek  safety 
in  flight.  The  captain  of  the  ehased  vessel,  seeing  no 
hope  of  escape,  ran  her  ashore,  and  commenced  taking 
out  her  cargo,  in  which  they  were  assisted  by  boats’ 
crews  from  the  Lexington  and  Surprise,  until  the 
frigates  lowered  their  boats,  when  Captain  Barry 
ordered  a quantity  of  loose  powder  and  a slow  match 
to  he  placed  in  the  hold,  and,  as  the  enemy  entered,  it 
went  off  with  a tremendous  explosion,  killing  every 
soul  on  board.  The  Wasp  now  pursued  her  course 
up  the  bay,  which  was  perceived  by  the  frigates,  who 
gave  chase.  Captain  Alexander,  finding  that  they 
gained  upon  him,  hauled  his  course  to  the  wind,  and 
ran  into  Wilmington  creek,  when  night  coming  on, 
the  frigates  dropped  anchor  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek, 
and  thus  kept  him  in  a state  of  blockade.  A number 
of  row  gallies  from  Philadelphia,  under  the  command 
of  Commodore  Hazlewood,  having  been  sent  after 
the  frigates,  made  their  appearance  the  next  morning, 
and  instantly  commenced  an  attack.  Captain  Alex- 


112  APPOINTED  LIEUTENANT. 

ander,  embracing  this  opportunity,  attacked  the  tender 
of  one  of  the  British  frigates,  carried  her  by  board- 
ing, and  made  his  escape,  pursued  by  the  Roebuck, 
which  grounded  on  the  Jersey  shore.  Captain  Alex- 
ander, sent  his  prize  to  port,  and  re-entered  the  creek 
before  night.  The  next  morning  being  thick  and 
hazy,  he  got  out;  but,  when  the  weather  cleared,  he 
found  himself  almost  in  the  enemy’s  power,  but  by 
exertion  he  escaped,  and  again  meeting  the  galleys, 
they  maintained  the  attack  all  day,  and  finally  through 
the  exertions  of  Barney  forced  the  frigates  to  retire, 
while  the  Wasp  returned  safe  to  Philadelphia. 

Barney  was  not  yet  seventeen,  and  through  the 
kindness  of  Captain  Alexander,  he  was  appointed  to 
take  charge  of  the  sloop  Sachem,  of  ten  guns,  and 
superintend  her  equipment.  While  on  this  service, 
he  received  an  appointment  as  lieutenant,  on  the  20th 
of  June,  1 776.  Soon  after  this.  Captain  Isaiah  Robin- 
son arrived,  and  took  the  command  of  the  Sachem, 
and,  with  our  young  hero,  set  sail  on  the  6th  of  July 
Before  they  had  been  at  sea  many  days  they  fell  in 
with' a letter  of  marque  brig,  under  English  colours, 
and  an  attack  was  determined  upon,  which  lasted 
about  two  hours,  when  the  brig  surrendered,  and  was 
taken  into  Philadelphia. 

^ In  consequence  of  the  ability  and  bravery  displayed 
by  Captain  Robinson  and  Lieutenant  Barney,  they 
were  removed  to  the  Andrew  Doria,  of  fourteen  guns, 
which  was  waiting  for  orders  to  put  to  sea.  Captain 
Robinson  was  ordered  to  St.  Eustatia,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  bringing  home  some  ammunition,  deposited 
there,  at  the  disposal  of  Congress, — and  to  return 
home  immediately,  in  order  not  to  subject  himself  to 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  RACE  HORSE.  113 

being  taken  by  a superior  force.  On  theii  return 
home  they  fell  in  with  the  Race  Horse,  of  twelve 
guns,  under  Lieutenant  Jones,  and  after  a hard-fought 
battle  of  two  hours,  forced  her  to  surrender.  The 
vessel  suffered  much  in  the  hiill,  spars  and  rigging, 
and  Lieutenant  Jones  and  most  of  his  men  were  more 
or  less  dangerously ‘Wounded  before  he  surrendered. 
The  Andrew  Doria  had  four  killed,  and  eight  or  nine 
wounded. 

Soon  after  this,  having  captured  an  English  scow, 
Lieutenant  Barney  was  sent  in  her  as  prizemaster; 
but  on  the  voyage  home,  he  encountered  a severe  gale, 
and  was  compelled  to  put  into  Chincoteague  for  re- 
pairs. After  remaining  there  till  January  2d,  1777, 
he  proceeded  to  sea  with  the  prize ; but  on  his  passage 
he  was  captured  by  the  Perseus,  of  twenty  guns,  and 
taken  to  Charleston.  Being  allowed  to  retire  upon 
parole,  Barney  soon  found  his  way  to  Philadelphia. 
Here  he  remained  many  months,  until  an  exchange 
offered,  when  he  again  returned  to  the  Andrew  Doria. 
He  was  heartily  welcomed  by  Captain  Robinson,  and 
his  brother  officers  and  men. 

The  Andrew  Doria  now  formed  a part  of  the  force, 
that  had  been  prepared  for  the  water  defence  of  Phila- 
delphia, which  force  consisted  of  a flotilla  of  about 
forty  ships  and  boats,  commanded  by  Commodore 
Hazlewood.  They  were  stationed  off  the  mouth  of 
the  Schuylkill,  partly  defended  by  a small  fort,  erected 
on  Mud  island.  A portion  of  the  American  forces 
were  also  stationed  at  Red  Bank,  on  the  Jersey  shore, 
and  at  Province  island,  farther  down  the  river. 
These  preparations  were  made  not  without  some 
great  design,  for  the  enemy  being  now  in  possession 
P 10* 


114  LOSS  OF  FORTS  ON  THE  DELAT7ARE. 

of  Philadelphia,  a determined  effort  was  to  be  made 
before  they  could  gain  the  command  of  the  Delaware. 

The  attack  which  was  made  on  the  flotilla  and 
forts  by  the  British  fleet,  and  ably  sustained  by  the 
Americans,  afforded  many  opportunities  for  the  dis- 
play of  that  heroism  which  marked  every  action  of  the 
revolutionary  war,  in  which  the  naval  force  was  con- 
cerned. By  employing  an  overwhelming  force,  both 
by  sea  and  land,  the  enemy  were  at  length  enabled  to 
batter  down  the  American  forts  and  disperse  the 
flotilla,  and  thus  effect  an  open  communication  be- 
tween the  ocean  and  Philadelphia,  now  in  their  pos- 
session. This,  however,  was  not  effected  without  a 
heavy  loss  of  officers  and  men.  Among  the  former 
was  the  gallant  Donop.  The  English  also  lost  two 
ships,  and  the  Americans  one.  The  final  attack  ter- 
minated on  the  night  of  the  16th  of  November,  by  the 
Americans  running  their  ships  up  the  river  to  Borden- 
town,  rather  than  let  them  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  who  had  thus  learned  that  their  victories  were 
to  be  bought  only  by  a force  greatly  superior  to  that 
of  their  opponents  in  numbers  and  discipline. 

Lieutenant  Barney,  throughout  the  whole  affair, 
displayed  his  usual  bravery  and  perseverance.  He 
was  always  in  the  thickest  of  the  fray,  and  despised 
the  old  rules  of  warfare — that  it  is  the  mark  of  cou- 
rage and  insight,  to  bring  your  forces  whole  from 
battle,  and  be  sure  and  return  yourself  with  your 
ships. 

Early  in  the  following  December,  he  was  ordered 
to  enter  as  lieutenant  of  the  frigate  Virginia,  which 
was  then  lying  at  Baltimore,  whither  he  was  ordered 
with  a detachment  o^  seamen  and  officers  destined  for 


BARNEl  A PRISONER.  115 

the  frigate.  He  was  nearly  a month  in  performing 
the  march,  in  consequence  of  the  almost  impassable 
state  of  the  roads,  which  were  covered  with  snow 
and  sleet.  A great  many  of  the  men  were  frostbitten, 
in  consequence  of  the  cold ; but  all  arrived  safe. 

In  1778,  he  was  placed  in  the  command  of  a pilot- 
boat  tender.  His  duty  in  this  capacity  was  to  cruise 
about  the  bay,  and  watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy, 
and  observe  when  an  opportunity  offered  for  the 
frigate  to  put  to  sea.  In  this  capacity  he  recaptured 
a large  sloop  belonging  to  Baltimore,  and  one  of  the 
enemy’s  barges  which  had  seized  her. 

On  the  last  of  March,  an  opportunity  offered  for 
the  frigate  to  put  to  sea ; but  she  ran  on  the  middle 
ground,  and  in  this  situation  was  attacked  by  three 
of  the  enemy’s  fleet,  when  the  captain  hoisted  out 
the  barge,  and  put  to  shore,  leaving  the  vessel  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant  Barney,  who  was  over- 
ruled in  his  determination  to  resist  the  enemy  by  the 
other  officers,  who  were  willing  to  follow  the  course 
of  their  captain.  Lieutenant  Barney  thus  again  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy ; but  in  consequence  of 
his  former  humane  conduct  towards  the  British  pri- 
soners who  had  fallen  into  his  hands,  he  was  treated 
with  kindness  and  civility,  and  such  was  the  confi- 
dence reposed  in  him,  that  he  was  frequently  allowed 
to  go  on  shore  and  remain  for  whole  days.  Captain 
Caldwell,  who  commanded  the  Emerald — in  which 
ship  Lieutenant  Barney  was  prisoner — had,  by  his 
uniform  kindness  and  urbanity,  won  the  esteem  of  all 
Americans  who  fell  into  his  hands. 

During  the  year  1 778,  it  having  been  deemed  ne- 
cessary to  send  the  prisoners  to  New  York,  Lieute- 


116  PLOT  TO  RECAPTURE. 

nant  Barney  was  removed  to  this  place,  in  the  ship  St. 
Albans,  sixty-four,  Captain  Onslow.  On  the  passage^ 
Lieutenant  Barney,  who  was  the  only  officer  of  any 
distinction  on  board,  formed  the  bold  plan  of  seizing 
the  ship,  and  the  whole  fleet,  but  the  project  was  dis- 
concerted by  the  treachery  of  a Frenchman,  to  whom 
the  secret  had  been  confided.  When  Captain  Onslow 
became  aware  of  it,  he  placed  the  means  which  Lieu- 
tenant Barney  was  to  employ,  out  of  his  reach,  and 
passed  the  affair  over  in  silence,  until  he  arrived  at 
New  York,  when  it  was  only  referred  to  as  a matter 
of  pleasantry.  When  they  arrived  at  New  York,  the 
Americans  were  transferred  to  the  prison-ships. 
Here,  Barney,  for  the  first  time,  realised  that  he  was 
a prisoner.  He  now  beheld  disease,  in  her  varied 
forms,  revelling,  as  it  were,  in  the  mass  of  beings, 
who  seemed  scarcely  '’‘humane 

Even  here,  his  usual  kindness  predominated,  and 
he  tended  for  hours  the  sick  and  dying  of  his  country- 
men. He  w^as  not,  however,  without  the  hope  of 
being  relieved,  and  was  allowed  to  obtain,  at  least,  the 
freedom  of  the  deck.  In  this  he  was  not  disappoint- 
ed ; for,  in  a few  weeks  after  his  incarceration,  he  was 
happy  to  learn  that  Admiral  Byron  had  arrived,  to 
supersede  Lord  Howe  in  command  of  the  English 
fleet.  This  officer,  in  a week  after  his  arrival,  paid  a 
visit  to  the  prison-ships,  and  seeing  the  prisoners  in 
such  a miserable  condition,  he  ordered,  with  his  ac- 
customed humanity,  better  accommodations  to  be 
prepared,  and  learning  the  peculiar  position  of  Lieu- 
tenant Barney,  he  ordered  him  to  be  removed  to  his 
ship,  where  he  was  treated  with  great  kindness.  He 
was  allowed  to  go  on  shore  whenever  he  wished,  and 


FIRING  A CROWBAR. 


117 


never  showed  himself  so  unworthy  of  confidence  as 
not  to  return. 

For  nearly  five  months  he  remained  in  this  situa- 
tion, when  an  opportunity  offering,  he  was  exchanged, 
and  again  offered  his  services  to  the  American  authori- 
ties ; but,  there  being  no  vacancy  at  the  time,  he 
determined  to  visit  his  relatives  and  friends.  Still 
his  mind  was  bent  upon  the  sea,  and,  disdaining  a life 
of  idleness,  he  took  command  of  “ a fine  little  schooner, 
armed  with  two  guns,  and  eight  men,”  hound  for  St. 
Eustatia. 

In  going  down  the  bay,  he  was  attacked  by  an 
English  privateer  and  taken ; but,  fortunately,  he  was 
put  on  shore,  with  his  men,  and  thus  he  was  saved 
from  a second  experience  of  the  horrors  of  a prison- 
ship.  He  immediately  set  out  for  Baltimore,  where 
he  met  his  old  friend.  Captain  Robinson,  who  was  in 
search  of  him  to  offer  him  the  situation  of  first  officer 
in  a private  ship  of  w^hich  he  then  had  command. 

In  February  1779,  they  set  sail  with  a cargo  of 
tobacco,  and  an  armament  of  twelve  guns,  and  thirty- 
five  men,  bound  for  Bordeaux.  After  ^hey  had  been 
out  a few  days,  they  were  chased  by  the  Rosebud,  of 
sixteen  guns.  Captain  Duncan.  An  action  followed  ; 
and  Captain  Robinson,  on  observing  indications  of 
the  enemy’s  intention  to  board,  left  Barney  to  com- 
mand the  stern-chaser,  while  he  went  on  the  gundeck, 
ready  to  give  the  enemy  a broadside  should  he  make 
the  attempt.  Barney,  believing  that  she  was  at  one 
time  running  up  for  this  purpose,  loaded  the  gun  with 
grapeshot  and  a ^‘crowbar,”  which,  by  cutting  up  the 
enemy’s  rigging,  and  nearly  severing  his  foremast,* 
had  the  desired  effect,  and  the  British  commander 


118  LIEUTENANT  BARNEY’S  MARRIAGE. 

thought  proper  to  sheer  off,  and  leave  Captain  Robin- 
son to  repair  his  damages  at  leisure.  The  enemy 
lost  forty-seven  men,  in  killed  and  wounded.  The 
voyage  was  continued  without  farther  interruption; 
and  the  vessel  having  discharged  her  cargo,  returned 
home.  On  her  homeward  passage,  she  came  up  with 
an  English  letter  of  marque  ship,  of  equal  force  and 
weight  of  metal,  which,  after  a long  contest,  was  forced 
to  surrender,  and  Lieutenan'  Barney  was  placed  in 
command  of  her,  on  her  passage  to  Philadelphia. 
When  he  arrived  there,  not  finding  any  vacancy  in 
the  naval  service,  he  determined  not  to  enter  the  mer- 
chant service,  but  to  spend  his  leisure  time  among  his 
relatives  in  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore. 

While  residing  at  the  former  place,  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  Miss  Bedford,  daughter  of  Gunning 
Bedford,  Esq.,  to  whom  he  was  married,  on  the  10th 
of  March,  1780. 

He  remained  a month  at  Philadelphia,  when  he 
was  advised  to  undertake  some  commercial  enterprise, 
which  he  determined  to  do,  and,  accordingly,  set  out 
with  that  purpose ; but  his  whole  fortune,  which  he 
carried  with  him,  was  secretly  stolen  from  him ; and  he 
returned  to  his  wife,  but  never  spoke  about  the  miss- 
ing money.  As  if  by  way  of  consolation,  in  a few 
days  he  was  ordered  to  the  Saratoga,  of  sixteen  guns, 
under  Captain  John  Tams.  He  immediately  went 
to  sea. 

They  had  not  been  out  many  days,  before  they  fell 
in  with  a British  ship,  of  twelve  guns,  and  soon  cap- 
tured her.  It  seemed  as  if  fortune  had  now  determined 
to  smile  upon  our  hero,  for  the  next  day  they  encoun- 
tered a 'British  ship  and  two  brigs,  and,  after  a hard- 


BARNEY’S  CAPTURE.  1 9 

fought  battle,  they  succeeded  in  taking  all  three. 
During  the  action,  Lieutenant  Barney,  with  fifty  men, 
boarded  the  largest  ship,  mounting  thirty-two  guns, 
with  ninety  men,  and  after  a terrible  conflict  obtained 
possession  of  the  deck,  and  soon  the  American 
colours  were  at  the  masthead. 

Barney,  in  the  largest  ship,  was  ordered  to  steer 
for  the  Delaware;  but  he  soon  discovered  that  she 
leaked  fearfully,  and  the  next  day  observed  a small 
squadron  in  chase,  and,  resistance  being  out  of  the 
question,  he  surrendered  to  Captain  Anthony  J.  P. 
Malloy,  of  the  Intrepid,  seventy-four.  By  this  com- 
mander he  was  treated  in  the  most  brutal  maimer. 
Yet,  when  he  afterwards  came  to  reflect  upon  his  lot, 
he  found  that  the  Saratoga  and  crew  perished  at  sea, 
and  were  never  heard  of,  and  that  his  being  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  prize,  and  his  capture  by  the 
inhuman  Malloy,  were  the  means  of  preserving  him  for 
future  service.  The  Intrepid  sailed  soon  after  for 
New  York,  when  Barney  was  removed  to  the  Yar- 
mouth, seventy-four,  (December  1780,)  to  be  sent  to 
England,  where  they  were  to  receive  the  punishment 
of  their  ‘‘rebellion.”  On  the  passage,  the  prisoners 
— amounting  to  about  sixty — were  confined  in  the 
most  loathsome  of  dungeons,  without  light  or  pure 
air,  and  with  a scanty  supply  of  provisions. 

They  thought,  when  they  arrived  at  Plymouth,  that 
their  privations  were  at  an  end ; but  they  were  only 
removed  to  another  prison-ship,  which,  although  dirty 
and  crowded,  was,  in  some  measure,  better  than  the 
one  they  had  left.  From  this,  contrary  to  ex])i3cta- 
tion,  as  soon  as  they  were  so  much  recovered  as  to 
be  able  to  walk,  they  were  brought  on  shore  and  con- 


120 


ESCAPE  FROM  PRISON. 


fined  in  Mill  prison,  where  they  met  the  anxious  faces 
of  several  hundred  American  prisoners,  who  had 
undergone  the  same  privations  as  themselves. 

This  prison  was  surrounded  by  two  strong  walls, 
twenty  feet  apart,  and  was  guarded  by  numerous 
sentries.  There  were  small  gates  in  the  walls,  and 
these  were  placed  opposite  each  other,  the  inner  one 
generally  remaining  open.  The  prisoners  were  al- 
lowed the  privilege  of  the  yard  nearly  all  day,  and 
this  set  the  inventive  mind  of  Barney  upon  the  scheme 
which,  in  the  end,  terminated  in  his  liberty ; not,  how- 
ever, without  infinite  danger  and  trouble.  He  set  about 
finding  out  some  small  chance  which  might  afford  the 
least  hope  of  release ; and  having  discovered  one  of 
the  sentries  that  had  served  in  the  United  States,  and 
remembered  the  kindness  with  which  he  had  been 
there  treated,  Barney  and  he  formed  the  means  of 
escape.  It  was  arranged  that  Barney  should  affect 
to  have  hurt  his  foot  and  obtain  a pair  of  crutches, 
and  thus  lull  suspicion. 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1781,  he  habited  himself  in 
the  undress  uniform  of  a British  officer — the  whole 
covered  with  an  old  greatcoat,  and,  by  the  aid  of  the 
sentinel,  cleared  the  prison ; when  he  threw  off  the 
coat,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  house  of  a well  known 
friend  to  the  American  cause,  in  Plymouth.  That 
he  might  not  be  soon  missed,  he  got  a lad,  who,  after 
answering  to  his  own  name,  was  to  get  out,  and  answer 
to  Barney’s,  in  the  yard,  which  little  stratagem  suc- 
ceeded admirably.  When  Barney  arrived  at  the 
friend’s  house,  he  made  preparations  to  leave  as  soon 
as  possible,  well  knowing  that  if  any  of  the  British 
were  detected  harbouring  him,  they  would  be  con- 


PLAN  OF  ESCAPE.  121  . 

victed  of  high  treason.  In  the  evening,  therefore,  he 
departed  to  the  house  of  his  friend’s  father,  at  a con- 
siderable distance,  where  he  would  be  safer.  On 
arriving  there,  he  was  surprised  to  find  two  of  his  old 
friends — Americans — who  had  been,  for  some  time, 
anxiously  waiting  for  an  opportunity  of  returning 
home,  and  now  thought  that  the  time  had  arrived. 

Lieutenant  Barney  determined  to  sail  for  the  French 
coast,  and,  for  this  purpose,  he  and  the  two  gentlemen 
purchased  a small  fishing  vessel,  and  habiting  them- 
selves in  some  fishermen’s  old  apparel,  they  set  sail 
on  their  intended  voyage.  Admiral  Digby’s  fleet  lay 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  our  adventurers  had  to 
pass  through  the  midst  of  them,  and  then  run  the 
chance  of  capture  by  the  numerous  British  cruisers, 
which  continually  ply  about  the  channel.  This  was 
a daring  undertaking,  as  the  fleet,  he  thought,  had 
doubtless  received  notice  of  his  escape,  and  the  enemy 
would  be  rigid  in  their  search.  He,  therefore,  deter- 
mined to  act  with  coolness,  and,  if  intercepted,  to  give 
such  answers  to  the  questions  put  to  him,  as  might 
best  lull  suspicion.  If  he  was  detected,  he  would  pay 
for  the  attempt  with  his  life. 

He  knew  that  if  his  escape  was  detected,  that  it 
would  be  immediately  communicated  to  the  fleet,  and 
thus  lessen  his  chances ; especially  as  the  least  unusual 
appearance  in  his  assumed  character,  would  excite 
immediate  suspicion.  Even  should  he  be  able  to  pass 
through  the  fleet,  the  British  channel  abounded  with 
the  English  cruisers,  which  were  quite  adept  in  the 
art  of  picking  up  stragglers.  With  these  dangers 
painted  in  living  colours  before  his  eyes,  he  preserved 
his  usual  self-possession,  and  inspired  with  confidence 
Gl  11 


122  INTERCEPTED  BY  A PRIVATEER. 

his  companions,  who  had  never  handled  a rope,  and 
relied  exclusively  upon  his  daring. 

By  sunrise,  the  next  morning,  they  were  ‘‘  under 
way,”  the  two  gentlemen  remaining  below,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Barney  and  the  servant  being  the  only  ones  on 
deck,  to  avoid  suspicion.  With  a good  breeze  and 
a favourable  tide,  it  was  not  long  before  they  were  in 
the  midst  of  the  hostile  fleet,  which  seemed  to  take 
no  notice  of  them.  Their  hearts  beat  quick  when 
they  were  thus  hanging  between  life  and  death;  hut 
as  soon  as  the  last  of  the  enemy  was  passed,  they 
declared  themselves  safe  through  that  portion  of  the 
ordeal. 

But  what  attempt  ever  ended  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  undertaker  ? Before  the  enemy  were  more  than 
clear  out  of  sight,  the  practised  eye  of  Barney  caught 
a sail  which  he  knew  to  be  bearing  down  upon  him. 
He  saw  that  resistance  was  out  of  the  question ; hut 
that  if  he  managed  the  affair  adroitly,  he  might  escape. 
It  was  now  that  he  w^as  called  to  exercise  that  firm- 
ness of  mind,  coolness  and  contempt  of  danger,  and 
quickness  of  resource  in  time  of  need,  that  ever  dis- 
tinguished his  character,  and  showed  him  to  be  a man 
of  no  ordinary  natural  talents.  In  less  than  an  hour 
the  privateer — for  such  she  was — came  alongside,  and 
sent  an  officer  to  see  “ what  he  wanted  steering  for  a 
hostile  coast.”  The  first  questions  that  were  put, 
and  answered  unhesitatingly,  were — what  he  had  on 
board  ? and  where  he  was  bound  ? Of  course  he  had 
nothing  on  board,  and  his  destination  was  France — 
on  business  of  importance  from  the  ministry ; at  the 
same  time  untying  the  rope  that  bound  the  old  coat 
around  him,  and  displaying  the  British  half-uniform  ^ 


ESCAPES  TO  HOLLAND. 


123 


The  officer  touched  his  hat,  begged  pardon,  end  said 
he  would  go  on  board  and  report  to  the  commanding 
officer. 

The  result  of  the  interview  was  that  Barney  was 
made  a prisoner  once  more,  and  ordered  with  a prize- 
master  to  Plymouth.  But  being  forced  by  stress  of 
weather  into  a small  bay,  near  Plymouth,  he  contrived 
to  escape  from  his  captors,  and  find  his  way  to  the 
mansion  of  the  venerable  clergyman,  at  Plymouth. 
Deeming  it  unsafe  to  remain  there,  lest  he  might  be 
discovered,  after  a few  days  he  set  out  at  midnight  in 
a postchaise  for  Exeter,  and  from  thence  by  stages 
to  Bristol,  where  he  had  a letter  of  credit  to  an 
American  gentleman. 

Here  he  remained  for  three  weeks,  and  from  thence 
he  went  to  London,  directed  to  a countryman,  who 
received  him  kindly,  and  offered  his  services  towards 
effecting  his  final  escape.  After  remaining  here  for 
six  weeks,  he  found  an  opportunity  of  sailing  for 
France ; and  after  an  extremely  boisterous  and  squally 
passage,  reached  Ostend,  from  whence  he  soon  found 
his  way  to  Amsterdam,  where  he  seized  the  opportu- 
nity of  paying  his  respects  to  Mr.  John  Adams,  then 
Minister  Plenipotentiary  from  the  United  States  to 
Holland.  Through  the  courtesy  of  this  gentleman,  he 
obtained  a passage  to  his  own  country,  and,  after  some 
adventures,  reached  Philadelphia,  on  the  21st  of 
March,  1782. 

But  he  was  not  long  allowed  to  enjoy  the  pleasure 
which  he  expected,  after  such  a trial  of  danger  and 
fatigue.  In  less  than  a week  after  he  arrived  at  Phila- 
delphia, he  was  offered  the  command  of  the  Hyder 
Ally,  of  sixteen  guns,  fitted  out  by  the  state  authorities 


124  HYDER  ALLY*  AND  GENERAL  MONK. 

of  Pennsylvania,  to  repress  the  enemy’s  privateers, 
with  which  Delaware  river  abounded. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1782,  he  entered  upon  his 
destined  service,  which  was  to  convoy  a fleet  of  mer- 
chantmen to  the  capes,  and  protect  them  from  the 
“ refugee  boats,”  with  which  the  river  abounded. 
While  waiting  at  the  capes,  he  was  assailed  by  two 
ships  and  a brig  belonging  to  the  enemy,  who,  finding 
him  unsupported,  commenced  a furious  attack,  which 
he  sustained  with  great  coolness,  while  his  convoy 
were  safely  retiring  up  the  river.  The  brig  came  up 
first,  and  gave  him  a broadside  as  she  was  passing ; 
but  kept  her  course  up  the  bay  after  the  convoy,  while 
Barney  waited  for  the  ship,  which  was  coming  up 
rapidly.  Having  approached  within  pistol  shot,  the 
Hyder  Ally  poured  a broadside  into  her,  which 
somewhat  staggered  the  enemy,  who  thought  Barney 
would  “strike  his  colours.”  The  enemy  seemed 
disposed  to  board,  and  was  ranging  alongside  of 
him,  when  he  ordered  the  quartermaster,  in  a loud 
voice,  to  “ port  the  helm  !” — having  previously  given 
him  secret  instructions  to  put  the  helm  hard  a-star- 
board, which  latter  order  was  obeyed ; by  this  ma- 
noeuvre the  enemy’s  jibboom  caught  in  the  fore- 
rigging of  the  Hyder  Ally,  thus  giving  her  a raking 
position,  which  Captain  Barney  knew  how  to  im- 
prove. The  firing  on  both  sides  was  tremendous ; — 
an  idea  of  it  may  be  obtained  from  the  fact,  that 
more  than  twenty  broadsides  were  fired  in  twenty-six 
minutes ! In  the  mizenstaysail  of  the  General  Monk 
there  were  afterwards  counted,  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  shot-holes.  During  the  whole  of  this  short 
but  glorious  battle.  Captain  Barney  was  stationed 


I " 
I 


UCRARY 
OF  THE 

u:':iVEr;.:iTY  cf  iLUt^ois 


. ;■-  ' ''-  MfH 


'■  ■ /. 


'i 


I 


THE  GOLD-HILTED  SWORD.  127 

upon  the  quarterdeck,  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the 
enemy’s  musketry,  which  was  excessively  annoying, 
and  began  to  be  felt  by  the  men,  insomuch  that  Cap- 
tain Barney  ordered  a body  of  riflemen,  whom  he  had 
on  board,  to  direct  their  fire  into  the  enemy’s  top, 
which  immediately  had  the  desired  effect. 

The  capture  of  the  General  Monk  was  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  achievements  recorded  in  naval  history. 
The  General  Monk  mounted  eighteen  guns,  and  had 
one  hundred  and  thirty-six  men,  and  lost  twenty  men 
killed,  and  thirty-three  wounded.  The  Hyder  Ally 
had  sixteen  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  ten  men,  and 
lost  four  men  killed,  and  eleven  wounded. 

All  the  officers  of  the  General  Monk  were  wounded, 
except  one.  The  captain  himself  was  severely  wound- 
ed. The  brig  which  accompanied  the  enemy  ran 
ashore  to  avoid  capture.  Captain  Barney  now  fol- 
lowed his  convoy  up  to  Philadelphia.  After  a short 
visit  to  his  family,  he  returned  to  his  command,  where 
he  soon  captured  the  Hook-’em-snivy” — a refugee 
schooner  which  had  done  a great  deal  of  mischief  on 
the  Delaware. 

These  captures  struck  such  terror  among  the  pri- 
vateers, that  they  began  to  disperse  to  more  profitable 
grounds.  In  consequence  of  these  glorious  actions. 
Captain  Barney  was  presented  with  a gold-hilted 
sword,  in  the  name  of  the  State. 

The  General  Monk  was  purchased  by  the  United 
States,  and  refitted  under  the  title  of  General  Wash- 
ington. The  command  of  her  was  given  to  Captain 
Barney,  who  was  sent  to  sea.  May  13th,  1782,  with 
sealed  orders,  which  he  was  requested  not  to  open 
until  he  came  to  a certain  latitude  at  sea.  He  had 


l28  BARNEY  A COMMODORE. 

under  his  command  fifteen  or  sixteen  vessels — priva- 
teers and  letters  of  marque — and  from  this  circum- 
stance he  was  now  fairly  entitled  to  the  title  of 
commodore.  When  he  arrived  at  the  capes  he  met 
three  frigates  coming  in,  and  the  convoy  immediately 
retired  up  the  bay,  and  left  Barney  to  encounter  the 
frigates.  During  the  night  he  escaped,  and  was 
chased  by  one  of  the  frigates,  but  outsailed  her,  and 
got  beyond  pursuit,  when  he  opened  the  private  in- 
structions which  he  had  received  from  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  State. 

He  was  prohibited  from  engaging  the  enemy,  if  it 
should  take  him  out  of  his  course.  He  delivered  his 
letters  to  the  French  and  Spanish  Admirals,  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  returned  to  the  Delaware,  where  he 
routed  a whole  fleet  of  refugee  boats,  when  he  returned 
to  Philadelphia  and  again  visited  his  family.  But 
this  was  of  short  duration,  for  he  was  soon  appointed 
to  carry  despatches  to  France,  and  bring  home  a 
considerable  sum  of  money,  which  the  King  of  France 
had  loaned  to  the  American  government.  On  his 
return  home,  he  was  furnished  with  a passport,  under 
the  sign  manual  of  the  King  of  England : when  he 
arrived  near  the  Delaware,  he  was  chased  by  three 
ships  of  war,  and  only  saved  himself  by  anchoring 
near  shore  in  three  fathoms  water,  and  taking  the  first 
opportunity  of  getting  off  again. 

Upon  the  cessation  of  hostilities — which  happened 
soon  after — the  General  Washington  was  changed 
into  a packet,  while  Captain  Barney  still  continued 
in  command  of  her.  Government,  however,  finding 
little  use  for  her,  sold  her,  and  Captain  Barney  deter- 
mined to  enter  into  a commercial  enterprise.  This, 


VO.YAGE  TO  CAPE  FRANCOIS.  129 

however,  was  not  so  profitable  as  he  expc-cted,  and 
finding  his  means  decreasing,  he  determined  to  move 
to  Kentucky  where  he  had  purchased  a tract  of  land. 
At  the  close  of  the  year,  he  visited  his  new  farm,  but 
not  finding  any  inducements  to  emigrate,  he  returned 
to  his  family,  and  abandoned  the  idea  of  living  in  the 
western  country. 

After  being  appointed  to  several  civil  offices.  Cap- 
tain Barney  again  went  to  sea  for  the  improvement 
of  his  health ; and,  in  one  of  his  voyages,  when  he 
had  arrived  at  Cape  Francois,  he  realised  enormous 
profits  by  the  sale  of  his  cargo  of  flour,  there  being 
none  in  market.  • While  here,  a dispute  arose  between 
the  agents  of  government  and  the  army  and  navy 
officers,  which  afterwards  involved  the  whole  town, 
and  in  an  affray  Captain  Barney,  although  neutral,  was 
near  losing  his  life,  and  did  not  escape  without  the 
loss  of  a great  deal  of  his  property.  After  his  escape 
from  this  scene  of  insurrection,  and  when  he  thought 
himself  safe,  he  was  boarded  by  the  officers  from 
three  British  privateers  or  pirates,  who  proceeded,  in 
the  most  insolent  manner,  to  rifle  his  ship.  In  a week, 
however,  an  opportunity  offering,  he  rose  upon  the 
captors,  and  brought  the  officers  and  their  crew  to 
Baltimore,  when  the  affair  became  the  subject  of  cor- 
respondence between  the  governments  of  the  two 
nations. 

Captain  Barney,  finding  that  trading  to  the  West 
Indies  was  highly  lucrative,  determined  to  make 
another  voyage  ; but  determined  not  to  be  taken  again 
by  privateers  ; and,  accordingly,  put  his  ship  in  a con- 
dition to  resist  the  insolence  of  such  petty  cruisers  in 
future.  She  was  armed  with  sixteen  guns,  and 
R 


130  COMMODORE  IN  THE  FRENCH  SERVICE. 

thirty  men,  besides  thirty  passengers.  In  the  Samp- 
son, thus  armed,  he  made  a profitable  voyage  to  Port 
au  Prince ; and  when  homeward  bound,  he  was  chased 
by  the  frigate  Penelope,  and  ordered  aboard,  which, 
when  he  had  done,  high  words  having  passed,  he  was 
ordered  under  custody,  and  conveyed  to  Jamaica, 
committed  to  prison,  and  afterwards  the  grand  jury 
brought  in  a bill  against  him  for  piracy,  founded  on 
the  recapture  of  his  own  ship.  On  the  trial,  how- 
ever, he  was  acquitted  merely  on  the  evidence  offered 
on  behalf  of  the  prosecution. 

Soon  after  this,  he  set  sail  for  Philadelphia,  and 
from  thence  to  Baltimore,  (May  1794,)  to  relate  his 
numerous  adventures  to  his  anxious  friends.  He  had 
not  been  long  here,  before  he  was  appointed  to  com- 
mand one  of  the  six  ships  which  Congress  had  deter- 
mined to  provide,  as  the  nucleus  of  a naval  force. 
His  name  was  fourth  on  the  list,  being  after  one  who 
was  a military  officer ; and  he  determined  not  to 
accept  the  commission.  The  Cincinnatus  was  then 
lying  at  the  wharf,  ready  for  sea,  and  being  offered 
the  command  he  accepted  it,  and  sailed  for  France. 

In  consequence  of  offers  which  were  made  to  him 
by  the  French  Directory,  while  in  this  country.  Com- 
modore Barney  entered  their  service  as  Chef  de 
Division — i.  e.,  commodore — and  displayed  his  usual 
courage,  ability,  and  activity,  in  his  consequent  en- 
counters with  the  English.  We  regret  that  our  limits 
will  not  admit  of  a full  account  of  his  foreign  service, 
which,  owing  to  the  injustice  of  the  Directory,  was 
not  only  unrequited,  but  appears  to  have  occasioned 
the  loss  of  the  property  which  Commodore  Barney 
had  previously  acquired.  One  circumstance  we 


LEAVES  THE  FRENCH  SERVICE.  131 

cannot  pass  over.  It  is  his  escape  from  the  Chesa- 
peake with  a French  squadron,  when  the  bay  was 
blockaded  by  an  English  fleet  of  greatly  superior 
force. 

The  stratagem  by  which  he  escaped  to  sea  has 
been  greatly  admired.  Having  anchored  in  sight  of 
the  enemy,  until  night,  he  sailed  up  the  bay,  out  of 
their  sight,  under  cover  of  the  darkness.  In  the 
morning,  the  English,  supposing  him  to  have  escaped, 
put  to  sea  in  chase,  and  when  they  were  gone,  Barney 
came  out  and  got  to  sea.  After  his  return,  having 
spent  the  period  from  1798  to  1802,  in  dancing  at- 
tendance on  the  French  Directory  and  Napoleon,  in 
hopes  of  having  his  claims  for  services  and  maney 
advanced,  he  found  himself  cheated  out  of  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  He  now  demanded  his  dis- 
charge from  the  French  service,  which  was  at  first 
politely  refused  by  Napoleon,  but  eventually  granted 
in  1802;  and  he  was  placed  upon  the  pension  roll 
with  an  annuity  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  Satisfied 
at  having  a claim  thus  acknowledged,  which  he  might 
have  obtained  in  full  if  he  could  have  stooped  to  the 
meanness  of  bribing  the  Directory,  he  never  claimed 
a dollar  of  the  pension. 

The  next  active  service  in  which  we  find  Commo 
dore  Barney  employed,  was  the  command  of  the 
privateer  Rossie,  at  the  commencement  of  the  late 
war  with  Great  Britain.  In  ninety  days  he  captured 
eighteen  ships,  valued  at  two  millions  and  a half  of 
dollars. 

In  the  summer  of  1813  he  was  offered  the  command 
of  the  flotilla  to  be  fitted  out  for  the  defence  of  the 
Chesapeake  bay,  which  he  willingly  accepted  ; and  he 


FLOTILLA  SERVICE. 


instantly  set  about  fitting  out  and  manning  liis  gun- 
boats and  barges.  This  operation  occupied  him  a 
considerable  time;  and  in  April,  1814,  he  had  ready 
for  action,  twenty-six  gunboats  and  barges,  and  nine 
hundlred  men.  He  determined  to  attack  Tangier 
island ; but  a large  force  of  the  enemy  obliged  him  to 
retire  as  far  as  St.  Leonard’s  creek,  where,  being 
still  pursued,  he  retired  farther  up.  Several  attempts 
were  subsequently  made  against  him,  but  with  dread- 
ful loss  to  the  assailants,  who  sought  the  protection 
of  their  larger  ships. 

The  enemy  then  turned  their  operations  into  a 
blockade,  and  kept  the  Commodore  inactive,  while 
they  went  into  the  country,  and  carried  off  many  of 
the  people  prisoners  on  board  their  fleet.  Barney 
having  received  a small  reinforcement  from  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  determined  on  an  attack  upon  the 
blockading  squadron,  which  was  to  be  seconded  by  a 
battery  of  two  guns  on  shore.  The  attack  was  made 
with  great  bravery  by  the  flotilla,  but  being  unsup- 
ported by  the  battery,  Barney  was  forced  to  retire. 
The  fruits  of  victory,  however,  he  obtained ; for  the 
enemy  soon  steered  down  the  river,  perfectly  satisfied 
with  one  attack  of  the  Commodore. 

The  next  action  in  which  we  find  him  engaged, 
was  at  the  advance  of  the  British  on  the  city  of 
Washington. 

The  history  of  this  affair  is  one  which  it  is  impos- 
sible to  dwell  upon  with  satisfaction.  Almost  the 
only  redeeming  feature  about  it,  from  the  first  landing 
of  General  Ross  s troops,  to  their  final  departure 
from  the  desecrated  capitol,  is  the  gallant  resistance 
of  Barney  and  his  brave  marines,  when  deserted  by 


BARNEY’S  CAPTURE.  133 

those  very  men  whose  incapacity  had  placed  them  in 
a false  position,  and  whose  duty  it  was  to  have  sup- 
ported them  in  the  defence.  As  it  was,  Barney  and 
his  party  kept  the  enemy  in  check,  until  nearly  every 
officer  was  killed  or  wounded,  the  Commodore  himself 
so  severely,  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  him  to  ac- 
company the  retreat,  which  he  was  finally  compelled 
to  order.  He  consequently  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
British,  who,  with  that  characteristic  respect  for 
heroism,  which  they  often  display,  instantly  offered 
him  a parole.  Having  accepted  it,  he  was  conveyed 
by  British  sailors  to  Bladensburg,  the  gallant  tars 
refusing  to  accept  the  fifty  dollar  bill,  which  he  ten- 
dered as  a compensation  for  their  trouble. 

After  remaining  at  Bladensburg  a single  day.  Com- 
modore Barney  was  conveyed  to  his  farm,  at  Elkridge. 
The  ball  which  he  had  received  in  his  thigh,  could 
not  be  extracted  without  considerable  risk ; and  the 
surgeons  suffered  it  to  remain  till  the  wound  was 
healed.  It  subsequently  gave  the  Commodore  much 
inconvenience,  and  was  thought  to  have  been  ulti- 
mately the  cause  of  his  death. 

As  an  acknowledgment  of  his  gallantry  and  good 
conduct  at  the  battle  of  Bladensburg,  an  elegant  sword 
was  presented  to  the  Commodore,  by  the  corporation 
of  Washington.  On  the  8th  of  October  he  was  ex- 
changed, and  two  days  afterwards  he  resumed  his 
command  of  the  flotilla.  Before  he  could  have  any 
new  opportunity  for  distinction,  hostilities  were  ter- 
minated by  the  Treaty  of  Ghent. 

The  flotilla  was  disbanded,  and  his  gallant  crews 
discharged;  when,  having  settled  his  accounts  with 
he  government.  Commodore  Barney  was  sent  to 

12 


134  CHARACTER  OF  COMMODORE  BARNEY. 

Europe,  as  the  bearer  of  despatches  to  the  American 
Plenipotentiaries,  which  he  faithfully  delivered,  and 
returned  to  Baltimore,  October  13th,  1815.  He  now 
retired  to  his  farm,  where  he  suffered  much  from  his 
wounded  limb.  After  this  he  continued  to  be  occu- 
pied with  endeavouring  to  remedy  the  effect  of  a 
want  of  economy  in  his  domestic  business  arrange- 
ments, until  the  death  of  Colonel  Nathaniel  Ramsay, 
when  he  was  appointed  Naval  Officer,  in  the  custom 
house,  at  Baltimore.  Being  in  ill  health,  he  appointed 
his  son  William  his  deputy. 

Commodore  Barney’s  death,  which  took  place  at 
Pittsburg  while  he  was  on  a journey  to  the  west, 
happened  on  the  first  of  December,  1818,  in  the  six- 
tieth year  of  his  age. 

In  the  character  of  Commodore  Barney  we  recog- 
nise all  the  elements  of  a popular  hero.  To  a noble 
and  commanding  presence,  he  added  that  cordiality 
and  kindness  of  manner,  which  is  universally  recog- 
nised as  the  evidence  of  a feeling  heart;  while  his 
humanity — his  daring  courage — his  earnestness  in  the 
despatch  of  business,  and  his  incorruptible  fidelity  in 
the  discharge  of  duty,  commanded  the  esteem  of 
every  administration  he  served,  and  the  affection  of 
every  man  he  commanded.  We  regret  that  our  nar- 
row limits  have  not  permitted  us  to  copy  a few  of  the 
numerous  anecdotes,  which  enrich  the  biography 
written  by  his  fair  relative,  to  which  we  have  already 
referred — a work  which  we  recommend  especially  to 
the  notice  of  all  who  delight  in  the  records  of  generous 
and  heroic  deeds. 


EDWARD  PREBLE. 


N the  brilliant  roll 
of  our  naval  heroes 
the  name  of  Preble 
will  always  stand 
among  the  most 
conspicuous. 
He  was  one 
of  the  most 
active  and 
efficient  of- 
ficers of  his  time ; and  it  was  by  his  gallantry  and 
consummate  ability  that  the  war  with  Tripoli  was 
conducted  in  a style  which  reflects  the  highest  honour 
on  the  American  flag. 

Commodore  Edward  Preble  was  born  August 
15th,  1761,  in  that  part  of  Falmouth  in  Casco  bay 
which  is  now  Portland,  in  the  State  of  Maine.  His 
father  was  the  Hon.  Jedidiah  Preble,  who  was  a 
brigadier-general  under  the  government  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts bay;  and,  after  the  revolutionary  war  began, 
a member  of  the  council  and  senate.  He  died  in  the 
year  1783,  aged  77. 

Edward  Prehle,  from  early  childhood,  discovered  a 
strong  disposition  for  hazards  and  adventures,  and  a 
firm,  resolute,  and  persevering  temper.  Possessing 


135 


136 


EARLY  LIFE. 


an  athletic  and  active  frame,  he  delighted  in  exertion, 
and  particularly  in  sporting  with  a gun,  in  which  he 
displayed  superior  skill.  His  constitution,  naturally 
robust,  was  corroborated  by  this  athletic  exercise. 

His  father,  with  a view  to  a college  education  and 
liberal  profession  for  his  son  Edward,  placed  him,  at 
a suitable  age,  at  Hummer  academy,  Newbury,  then 
under  the  care  of  the  late  Mr.  Samuel  Moody,  a cele- 
brated teacher.  Here  he  was  employed  in  Latin  and 
other  studies,  and  though  the  bias  of  his  nature  to 
action  and  enterprise  proved  an  overmatch  for  the 
attractions  of  literature  and  sedentary  occupation,  his 
time  at  school  yielded  valuable  fruit.  The  correct- 
ness and  propriety  of  expression  in  his  letters  and 
orders,  the  quality  and  cast  of  his  conversation,  and 
the  general  resources  of  his  mind  showed  him  indebted 
to  early  culture  as  well  as  to  the  opportunities  he 
enjoyed  from  much  intercourse  with  the  world  and 
nis  standing  in  society.  He  doubtless,  with  others, 
experienced  the  benefit  of  having  a preceptor  who 
made  it  his  care  and  gratification  to  discover  and  fan 
the  spark  of  honourable  ambition  in  the  minds  of  his 
pupils.  He  was  particularly  attentive  to  their  cha- 
racteristic individual  traits  ; and  fond  of  viewing  them 
on  the  most  favourable  and  indulgent  side.  He  was 
struck  with  the  marks  of  a fearless  invincible  spirit 
in  Preble ; and  though  aware  of  its  disadvantages  and 
hazards  to  its  possessor,  was  disposed,  in  this  instance, 
accompanied  as  it  was  with  ingenuous  feelings  and  a 
disdain  of  all  baseness,  to  regard  it  as  a prognostic 
of  good.  A single  anecdote  in  illustration  we  venture 
to  record,  trusting  that  none  of  our  readers,  young  or 
old,  will  receive  it  in  ill  part,  or  think  it  capable  of 


YOUTHFbL  INTREPIDITY.  137 

any  evil  use.  The  good  preceptor,  with  a dear  love 
for  his  pupils,  was  liable  sometimes  to'gusts  of  passion, 
portentous  in  appearance,  though  commonly  harmless 
in  effect.  On  one  occasion,  our  hero,  in  an  encounter 
with  a schoolfellow,  had  given  a blow,  which  covered 
his  face  with  blood.  On  the  boy  presenting  himself 
in  this  plight  in  school,  and  announcing  Preble  as  the 
author  of  his  misfortune,  the  master’s  ire  was  raised  to 
a tempest — seizing  the  fire-shovel,  he  sprung  towards 
the  offender,  and  aimed  a blow  at  his  head;  which, 
however,  he  took  care  should  just  escape  on  one  side 
of  his  mark,  and  fall  on  the  desk.  He  repeated  the 
motion,  bringing  down  his  deadly  weapon  on  the 
other  side  with  the  utmost  violence.  The  boy  never 
changed  his  attitude  or  countenance,  sitting  perfectly 
erect,  and  looking  calmly  at  the  assailant.  The  latter, 
from  being  pale  and  quivering  with  rage  became  in- 
stantly composed,  and  turning  away  exclaimed  “ that 
fellow  will  make  a general.”  Against  the  wishes  and 
hopes  of  his  father,  Edward  persisted  in  that  predilec- 
tion for  the  sea  which  he  had  always  shown ; and 
leaving  school  after  two  or  three  years,  he  entered  on 
board  a ship.  His  first  voyage  was  to  Europe  in  a 
letter  of  marque,  Captain  Frend.  On  their  return, 
they  had  a severe  time  on  the  coast  through  head 
winds  and  extreme  cold.  The  young  sailor  was 
conspicuous  for  his  activity  and  usefulness  in  thi*s 
trying  exigence. 

About  the  year  1779  he  became  midshipman  in  the  . 
state  ship  Protector,  twenty-six  guns,  commanded  by 
that  brave  officer,  John  Foster  Williams,  who  has 
always  spoken  with  emphasis  of  the  courage  and  good 
conduct  of  Mr.  Preble,  while  in  his  ship. 

S 12* 


138  CAPTURE  OF  THE  DUFF. 

On  the  first  cruise  of  the  Protector,  she  engaged 
off  Newfoundland,  the  letter  of  marque  Admiral  Duff, 
of  thirtj-six  guns.  It  w^as  a short  but  hard-fought 
action.  The  vessels  were  constantly  very  near,  and 
much  of  the  time  alongside,  so  that  balls  were  thrown 
from  one  to  the  other  by  hand.  The  Duff  struck, 
but  taking  fire  about  the  same  time,  she  in  a few 
minutes  blew  up.  Between  thirty  and  forty  of  her 
people  were  saved*  and  taken  on  board  the  Protector, 
where  a malignant  fever  soon  spread  and  carried  off 
two-thirds  of  Captain  Williams’s  crew.  He  returned 
to  an  eastern  port,  and  landing  his  prisoners  and 
recruiting  his  men  sailed  on  a second  cruise.  Falling 
in  with  a British  sloop  of  war  and  frigate,  the  Pro- 
tector was  captured.  The  principal  officers  were 
taken  to  England,  but  Preble,  by  the  interest  of  a 
friend  of  his  father.  Colonel  William  Tyng,  obtained 
his  release  at  New  York,  and  returned  to  his  friends. 

He  then  entered  as  first  lieutenant  on  board  the 
sloop  of  war  Winthrop,  Captain  George  Little,  who 
had  been  Captain  Williams’s  second  in  command  in 
the  Protector,  had  scaled  the  walls  of  his  prison  at 
Plymouth,  and  with  one  other  person  escaping  in  a 
wherry  to  France,  took  passage  thence  to  Boston. 

One  of  Mr.  Preble’s  exploits,  while  in  this  station, 
has  been  often  mentioned  as  an  instance  of  daring 
courage  and  cool  intrepidity  not  less  than  of  good 
fortune.  He  boarded  and  cut  out  an  English  armed 
brig  of  superior  force  to  the  Winthrop  lying  in 
Penobscot  harbour,  under  circumstances  which  justly 
gave  the  action  great  eclat.  Little  had  taken  the 
brig’s  tender,  from  whom  he  gained  such  information 
of  thT  situation  of  the  brig,  as  made  him  resolve  to 


CAPITAL  EXPLOIT.  139 

attempt  seizing  on  her  by  surprise.  He  ran  her 
alongside  in  the  night,  having  prepared  forty  men  to 
jump  into  her,  dressed  in  white  frocks,  to  enable 
them  to  distinguish  friend  from  foe.  Coming  close 
upon  her  he  was  hailed  by  the  enemy,  who,  as  was 
said,  supposed  the  Winthrop  must  be  her  tender,  and 
who  cried  out,  “ you  will  run  aboard !”  He  answered, 
“ I am  coming  aboard,”  and  immediately  Preble,  with 
fourteen  men,  sprung  into  the  brig.  The  motion  of 
the  vessel  was  so  rapid  that  the  rest  of  the  forty  des- 
tined for  boarding  missed  their  opportunity.  Little 
called  to  his  lieutenant,  ‘‘will  you  not  have  more 
men?”  No,”  he  answered  with  great  presence  of 
mind  and  a loud  voice,  ‘‘  we  have  have  more  than  we 
want;  we  stand  in  each  other’s  way.”  Those  of  the 
enemy’s  crew  who  were  on  deck  chiefly  leaped  over 
the  side,  and  others  below  from  the  cabin  window, 
and  swam  to  the  shore,  which  was  within  pistol-shot 
Preble  instantly  entering  the  cabin  found  the  officers 
in  bed  or  just  rising : he  assured  them  they  were  his 
prisoners,  and  that  resistance  was  vain,  and,  if  at- 
tempted, would  be  fatal  to  them.  Believing  they 
were  surprised  and  mastered  by  superior  numbers 
they  forbore  any  attempt  to  rescue  the  vessel  and 
submitted.  The  troops  of  the  enemy  marched  down 
to  the  shore,  and  commenced  a brisk  firing  with  mus- 
kets, and  the  battery  opened  a cannonade,  which, 
however,  was  too  high  to  take  effect.  In  the  mean- 
time the  captors  beat  their  prize  out  of  the  harbour, 
exposed  for  a considerable  space  to  volleys  of  mus- 
ketry, and  took  her  in  triumph  to  Boston. 

Lieutenant  Preble  continued  in  the  Winthrop  till 
the  peace  of  1783.  This  vesse  is  acknowledged  to 


140  PREBLE  APPOINTED  CAPTA.N. 

have  rendered  eminent  service  by  protecting  our  trade 
near  our  shores,  and  picking  up  a great  number  of  the 
small  privateers  which  issued  from  the  British  ports 
to  the  eastward. 

From  this  period  the  flag  of  our  nation  began  to  be 
displayed  in  every  sea,  and  her  ships  to  visit  every 
mart  in  both  hemispheres.  Mr.  Preble  was  a ship- 
master in  successive  voyages,  to  various  places,  near 
and  distant. 

In  the  year  1798,  the  accumulated  injuries  and 
insults  of  the  rulers  of  France  awakened  a spirit  of 
resistance  in  the  people  and  government  of  this  coun 
try.  The  president  uttered  a loud  call  for  a navy, 
and  obtained  a hearing.  That  class  of  our  statesmen 
and  citizens,  who  had  always  thought  a maritime 
force  an  indispensable  instrument  both  of  defence  and 
negotiation,  and  who  had  often  before  pleaded  for  it 
in  vain,  embraced  the  occasion  to  begin  the  good 
work.  In  this  and  the  following  year,  fifteen  frigates, 
and  about  twelve  other  vessels  of  war  were  built  and 
commissioned.  It  was  fortunate  for  the  prosperity 
and  usefulness  of  this  infant  establishment  that  many 
of  the  naval  heroes  of  the  revolution,  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  maritime  warfare,  were  of  an  age  to 
be  employed  in  the  service,  and  acknowledged  the 
claim  of  their  country  to  the  benefit  of  their  ex- 
perience. 

Of  the  five  first  lieutenants,  first  appointed,  Mr. 
Preble  was  one.  In  the  fall  and  winter  of  1798-9  he 
made  two  cruises  as  commandant  of  the  brig  Picker- 
ing. The  next  year,  1799,  he  received  a captain’s 
commission,  and  the  command  of  the  frigate  Essex,  of 
thirty-six  guns.  January  1800,  he  made  a voyage  in 


TEU/SE  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES  J.41 

her  to  Batavia,  whither  he  was  sent  witl  Captain 
James  Sever  in  the  Congress  to  convoy  our  home- 
ward bound  trade  from  India  and  the  East. 

The  day  after  leaving  port,  a snow  storm  came  on, 
and  they  parted  from  the  three  vessels  under  convoy 
out.  On  the  12th,  in  a heavy  gale,  Le  lost  sight  of 
the  Congress.  She  unfortunately  was  dismasted  and 
obliged  to  put  back.  The  Essex  pursued  the  voyage 
alone ; after  waiting  a suitable  time  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  to  see  if  the  Congress  would  come  up, 
she  sailed  for  Batavia.  Before  and  after  arriving  at 
that  port,  Captain  Preble  made  two  cruises  of  a fort- 
night each  in  the  straits  of  Sunda.  In  June,  he  took 
under  convoy  home,  fourteen  sail  of  American  mer- 
chantmen, valued  at  several  millions  of  dollars.  He 
was  separated  from  them  in  a tremendous  gale  off  the 
bank  of  Lagullos — but  most  of  them  rejoined  him 
afterwards  at  St.  Helena,  and  were  protected  till  they 
were  considered  out  of  danger.  He  met  few  cruisers 
of  the  enemy.  He  gave  keen  chase  to  a French  cor- 
vette, from  the  Isle  of  France,  which  he  would  have 
overtaken,  but  the  wind  dying  away,  she  escaped  by 
means  of  her  sweeps.  He  arrived  at  New  York  near 
the  end  of  the  year.  He  had  been  sick  on  the  voyage, 
and  failed  in  health  exceedingly  afterwards.  Being 
appointed  to  the  Adams  for  the  Mediterranean,  he  was 
too  feeble  to  take  command,  and  was  obliged  to  resign 
her  to  Captain  Campbell. 

In  the  year  1803  he  was  sufficiently  recovered  to 
enter  again  upon  duty.  At  this  time  he  commenced 
a career  in  which  he  acquired  great  honour ; and  ex- 
alted the  character  and  evinced  the  importance  of  our 
infant  navy. 


142  COMMANDS  MEDITERRANEAN  SQUADRON. 

In  May  of  that  year  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  frigate  Constitution,  then  lying  in  Boston, 
which  he  was  instructed  to  get  ready  for  sea.  In 
June  he  received  orders  to  take  charge  of  the  squadron 
destined  to  act  in  the  Mediterranean,  as  soon  as  it 
should  be  prepared ; consisting  of  seven  sail,  viz  : — 
the  Constitution,  forty-four  guns  ; Philadelphia,  forty- 
four — already  on  the  station;  Argus,  eighteen ; Siren, 
sixteen;  Nautilus,  sixteen;  Vixen,  sixteen;  Enter- 
prise, fourteen.  This  force  was  committed  to  his 
direction,  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  effectually  the 
commerce  and  seamen  of  the  United  States  against 
the  Tripolitan  cruisers  on  the  Atlantic  ocean,  the 
Mediterranean,  and  adjoining  seas. 

The  squadron  sailed  on  the  13th  of  August,  and 
reached  Gibraltar  on  the  13th  of  September.  Here 
Commodore  Preble  learned  from  Captains  Bainbridge 
and  P.ogcrs,  that  they  had  seized  and  detained  in 
the  Mediterranean,  several  vessels  belonging  to  the 
Emperor  of  Morocco,  and  evidently  sailing  with 
orders  to  cruise  for  Americans.  In  consequence  of 
this  information,  Preble  wrote  to  Mr.  Simpson,  the 
American  Consul  at  Tangier,  desiring  him  to  assure 
the  court  of  Morocco,  that  the  United  States  desired 
to  maintain  peace  with  his  Majesty  on  proper  terms ; 
hut  that  he  should  punish  as  a pirate  every  Moorish 
cruiser  who  should  be  found  to  have  taken  an  Ameri- 
can. Rogers  was  to  remain  a few  days  on  the  station, 
and  then  join  Commodore  Preble  in  Tangier  bay,  to 
assist  adjusting  affairs  with  the  Emperor. 

On  the  17th,  Preble  hoisted  a white  flag  in  Tangier 
bay,  where  he  appeared  with  the  Constitution  and 
John  Adams,  having  on  board  the  principal  Moorish 


VISIT  TO  THE  EMPEROR.  143 

officers  of  the  prizes  taken  by  Bainbridge  and  Rogers. 
The  American  consul  was  not  allowed  to  come  on 
board,  but  remained  confined  in  his  house,  guarded 
by  sentinels,  and  having  no  communication  with  the 
ship,  but  by  writing  on  an  open  slip  of  paper.  The 
Emperor  was  at  Fez,  at  this  time,  and  the  governor 
at  Tetuan. 

Preble  believed  that  the  Moorish  court  had  long 
meditated  war,  and  waited  only  a favourable  oppor- 
tunity for  declaring  it.  He  determined,  therefore,  to 
take  a decided  course,  and  convince  the  Emperor  that 
the  system  of  concession  was  abandoned.  Rogers 
would  co-operate  with  him ; and  Preble  gave  orders 
to  his  squadron  to  bring  in  for  examination  all  vessels 
belonging  to  the  Emperor  and  his  subjects.  He  also 
despatched  several  vessels  to  cruise  off  the  coast  of 
Morocco,  and  the  Philadelphia  and  Vixen  to  lie  before 
Tripoli. 

The  American  consul  explained  these  hostile  move- 
ments to  the  Emperor,  who  replied,  that  if  the 
governor’s  orders  to  capture  and  detain  American 
vessels,  had  been  given  under  a general  discretion,  he 
would  refuse  his  sanction  to  them. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  the  Commodore  anchored 
in  Tangier  bay,  about  a mile  and  a half  from  the  cir- 
cular battery,  having  the  N autilus  in  company.  The 
frigates  New  York  and  John  Adams  joined  him  on 
the  6th ; and,  on  the  same  day,  his  Moorish  Majesty 
arrived,  and  encamped  on  the  beach,  opposite  the 
squadron,  with  a force  of  about  five  thousand  foot 
and  horse.  Preble  ordered  the  ship  to  be  dressed, 
and  a salute  of  twenty-one  guns  to  be  fired,  to  which 
the  battery  returned  an  equal  number.  The  same 


144  TREATY  WITH  THE  EMPEROR. 

was  done  by  the  other  frigates  the  following  morning. 
The  Emperor  ordered  a present  of  bullocks,  sheep 
and  fowls  for  the  squadron,  as  a token  of  good  will ; 
and  the  consul  gave  information  that  the  negotiation 
would  he  opened  on  the  arrival  of  the  Emperor’s 
minister. 

On  the  8th,  the  Emperor  visited  the  beach  in  order 
to  view  the  squadron.  The  Constitution  fired  the 
usual  salute  of  twenty-one  guns,  which  greatly  grati- 
fied his  Majesty.  Several  respectable  Moors — among 
them  the  captain  of  the  port — came  off  to  see  their 
friends,  who  were  prisoners  on  board.  The  consul 
gave  notice  next  day  that  the  Emperor  had  ordered 
the  release  of  the  American  brig  at  Mogadore,  and 
that  the  11th  was  appointed  for  an  audience  with  the 
Commodore.  On  the  day  assigned,  Preble  landed 
and  repaired  to  the  court,  accompanied  by  Col.  Lear, 
Mr.  Morris,  and  two  midshipmen.  He  desired,  in 
case  of  any  forcible  detention,  that  the  commanding 
officer  on  board  would  enter  into  no  treaty  for  his 
release;  hut  open  an  immediate  fire  upon  the  town. 
They  were  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  court 
with  the  usual  formalities,  and  conversed  for  some 
time  with  the  Emperor  through  an  interpreter.  His 
Majesty  expressed  much  sorrow  that  any  difference 
had  occurred,  disavowed  having  given  any  hostile 
orders,  declared  he  would  restore  all  American  ves- 
sels, detained  in  consequence  of  any  of  his  governor’s 
acts,  and  offered  to  renew  the  treaty  of  1786. 

The  Commodore  and  consul,  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  promised  that  the  Emperor’s  property 
should  he  restored,  and  the  orders  of  capture  revoked. 
An  interview  was  then  held  w/th  the  minister,  the 


TRIPOLITAN  WAR. 


145 


details  settled,  and  the  mutual  stipulations  were  forth- 
with executed.  The  Emperor  furnished  a formal 
ratification  of  the  treaty  of  1786,  and  a letter  of  peace 
and  amity  to  the  President.  Thus,  by  the  happy 
union  of  prudence  and  energy,  seconded  by  a compe- 
tent force,  we  escaped  war  with  a power,  from  his 
formidable  situation,  and  placed  our  affairs  with  him 
in  a better  condition  than  before  the  variance. 

The  Commodore  having  nothing  at  present  to  fear 
from  Morocco,  was  at  liberty  to  direct  his  principal 
attention  to  Tripoli.  The  season,  however,  was  too 
far  advanced  for  active  and  permanent  operations 
against  the  enemy.  Yet  this  officer  did  not  indulge 
himself  in  repose,  or  suffer  his  forces  to  be  idle.  In 
cruising,  where  they  necessarily  at  this  time  of  year 
encountered  a rough  sea  and  tempestuous  weather,  in 
supplying  convoy,  and  in  maintaining  the  blockade  of 
Tripoli,  when  practicable,  the  squadron  was  fully  and 
arduously  employed.  It  was  apparent  that  the  Com- 
modore aimed  to  do  all  that  was  possible,  and  not 
merely  what  was  convenient.  The  Philadelphia  and 
Vixen  had  been  ordered  to  the  coast  of  Tripoli.  The 
Commodore  now  formally  declared  the  blockade  of 
that  place,  and  sent  notice  of  the  fact  to  the  ministers 
and  consuls  of  the  United  States,  to  be  communicated 
to  the  respective  neutral  powers.  He  found  it  ex- 
pedient to  go  to  Cadiz,  in  order  to  make  up  his 
complement  of  men,  and  procure  a few  supplies  not 
to  be  obtained  at  that  time  at  Gibraltar.  An  un- 
pleasant circumstance,  not  expected,  seldom  before 
experienced  by  our  public  vessels,  and  afterwards 
remedied  by  orders  of  Lord  Nelson,  made  him  willing 
to  shorten  his  stay  at  the  last  mentioned  port.  Several 
T 13 


146 


LOSS  OF  THE  I HILADELPHIA. 


commanders  of  British  ships  of  war  lying  there,  in- 
sisted on  retaining  those  deserters  from  the  Commo- 
dore’s squadron,  who  were  believed  to  be  British 
subjects.  It  was  indispensable  to  the  exercise  of 
discipline,  to  he  protected  in  his  right  to  his  own 
seamen.  The  refusal  of  this  essential  courtesy,  in 
the  present  instance,  was  one  reasor  of  his  fixing  on 
Syracuse,  instead  of  Malta,  for  his  rendezvous. 

Our  officer  returned  from  Cadiz  on  the  sixth  of 
November;  and  having  allotted  the  Argus,  Captain 
Hall,  to  the  Gibraltar  station,  and  disposed  of  his 
other  force,  he  proceeded  to  Algiers,  where  he  was 
to  leave  Colonel  Lear,  the  consul  general.  On  the 
22d,  he  sailed  from  Algiers  for  Syracuse ; and  on  his 
voyage  was  informed  of  the  disastrous  loss  of  the 
Philadelphia,  Captain  William  Bainbridge.  On  the 
31st  of  October,  after  pursuing  a Tripolitan  corsair 
till  she  came  to  seven  fathoms  water,  in  beating  off*, 
she  ran  on  a rock,  not  laid  down  in  any  chart,  about 
four  and  a half  miles  from  the  town.  Every  exertion 
to  get  her  off*  proved  ineffectual.  Meanwhile  she  was 
attacked  by  numerous  gunboats,  which  she  withstood 
for  four  hours,  whilst  the  careening  of  the  ship  made 
the  guns  totally  useless.  A reinforcement  coming 
off*,  and  no  possible  means  of  resisting  them  appear- 
ing, the  captain  submitted  to  the  horrid  necessity  of 
striking  to  his  barbarous  enemy.  They  took  posses- 
sion of  the  ship,  and  made  prisoners  of  the  officers 
and  men — in  number  three  hundred — with  robbery, 
violence,  and  insult.  In  forty-eight  hours,  the  wind 
blowing  in  shore,  the  Tripolitans  were  able  to  get  off* 
the  frigate,  and  having  raised  her  guns,  towed  her  into 
the  harbour  of  Tripoli.  The  Commodore  appre- 


CAPTURE  OF  A KETCH.  147 

bended  the  worst  from  this  diminution  of  his  force — 
a war  with  Tunis,  and  perhaps,  with  Algiers,  at  least, 
a protraction  of  the  present  war.  He  could  ndt  but 
hope  the  government  would  repair  this  loss  by  another 
frigate  in  the  spring,  and  also  would  furnish  him  with 
more  small  vessels  or  gunboats.  His  idea  of  the 
amount  and  distribution  of  force  to  be  desired,  he 
mentions  in  a subsequent  letter,  observing — “ we 
ought  to  have  a brig  and  schooner  to  cruise  between 
Cape  Bon  and  Sicily;  a brig  or  schooner  off  Cape 
Margaret,  to  the  south  of  Tripoli ; a brig  on  the  coast 
of  Calabria;  two  frigates,  with  one  schooner  and  some 
gun  and  mortar  boats,  before  Tripoli,  and  a brig  and 
schooner  to  cruise  from  Derne  to  Bengaza.  With 
such  a force,  so  disposed,  Tripoli  might  soon  be 
brought  to  any  terms  we  might  please  to  dictate.” 

He  proceeded  to  Syracuse,  where  he  was  received 
with  much  hospitality,  and  aided  by  the  governor  with 
the  accommodations  he  needed  for  his  squadron.  He 
also  found  Sir  Alexander  Ball,  at  Malta,  (which  he 
soon  visited,)  disposed  to  show  him  every  good  office. 
December  14th,  he  sailed  with  the  Enterprise,  on  a 
winter  cruise,  amidst  boisterous  weather;  for  many 
days  it  blew  a gale.  On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  the 
Enterprise  captured  a ketch  in  sight  of  Tripoli,  which 
left  that  port  in  the  night,  bound  to  Bengaza.  She 
was  under  Turkish  colours,  and  navigated  by  Turks 
and  Greeks ; but  had  on  board  two  Tripolitan  officers 
of  distinction,  a son  of  one  of  the  officers,  a number 
of  Tripoline  soldiers,  and  forty  or  more  blacks — men 
and  women — slaves  belonging  to  the  Bashaw  and  his 
subjects.  He  at  first  determined  to  release  the  vessel 
and  men  claimed  by  the  Turkish  captain,  and  retain 


148  BURNING  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA. 

the  Tripolines,  about  sixty  in  number,  as  prisoners , 
hoping  they  would  afford  an  advantage  in  negotiation, 
and,*perhaps,  be  exchanged  for  some  of  our  country- 
men. Before  this  determination  was  executed,  he 
ascertained  that  the  captain  had  been  active  in  taking 
the  Philadelphia.  Having  received  on  board  this 
very  vessel  one  hundred  Tripolitans,  armed  with 
swords  and  muskets,  and  substituted  the  colours  of 
the  enemy  for  his  own,  he  assaulted  the  frigate^  and 
when  she  was  boarded,  plundered  the  officers.  He 
had  no  hesitation  in  retaining  the  vessel ; because  she 
was  either  a Tripoline,  and  then  a prize,  or  a Turk, 
and  then  a pirate.  She  was  not  in  a condition  to  be 
sent  to  the  United  States.  He  transmitted  her 
papers  to  government,  and,  some  time  after,  had  her 
appraised,  and  took  her  into  the  service  as  the  ketch 
Intrepid.  , 

February  3d,  1804,  Lieutenant  Stephen  Decatur, 
with  seventy  volunteers,  in  the  Intrepid,  and  accom- 
panied by  the  Syren,  sailed  for  Tripoli,  with  a view 
to  destroy,  as  they  could  not  in  any  event  expect  to 
bring  out  the  frigate  Philadelphia.  On  the  16th,  the 
service  was  accomplished  in  the  most  gallant  manner. 
Lieutenant  Decatur  entered  the  harbour  of  Tripoli 
in  the  night;  and  laying  his  vessel  alongside  the 
frigate,  boarded  and  carried  her  against  all  opposition. 
A large  number  of  men  were  on  board,  of  whom 
twenty  or  thirty  were  slain,  and  the  remainder  driven 
over  the  side,  excepting  one  boat’s  crew,  which 
escaped  to  the  ^hore,  and  one  person  made  prisoner. 
The  assailants  then  set  fire  to  her  and  left  her.  She 
was  soon  in  a complete  blaze,  and  was  totally 
consumed.  The  frigate  lay  within  half  gun-shot  of 


BLOCKADE  OF  TRIPOLI.  149 

the  castle  and  the  principal  battery,  with  her  guns 
mounted  and  loaded,  and  two  corsairs,  full  of  men, 
were  riding  very  near.  We  had  none  killed,  and 
only  one  wounded. 

From  this  time  till  the  bombardment  of  Tripoli, 
the  Commodore  was  occupied  in  cruising,  in  keeping 
up  the  blockade  of  the  Tripoline  harbour,  and  in 
making  preparations  for  an  attack.  He  took  the 
utmost  pains  to  convey  supplies  and  information  to 
Captain  Bainbridge,  and  his  officers  and  men ; and, 
after  a time,  by  means  of  the  good  offices  of  Sir 
Alexander  Ball,  succeeded.  He  tried  several  times 
to  negotiate  for  a ransom  and  treaty;  but  the  demands 
of  the  regency  were  sometimes  ridiculously  extrava- 
gant, and,  when  lowest,  beyond  what  he  thought 
himself  permitted  to  accord.  The  designs  of  warfare 
he  had  entertained  were  checked  by  a solicitude  for 
the  release  of  his  countrymen;  though  he  may,  by 
some  persons,  perhaps,  be  thought  to  have  indulged 
too  far  his  aversion  to  the  payment  of  a considerable 
ransom.  He  found  himself  able  to  make  their  situa- 
tion as  comfortable  as  the  nature  of  it  would  admit; 
and  he  believed  that  the  infliction  of  suffering  and 
terror,  when  the  time  should  CQme,  upon  the  enemy, 
would  not  produce,  as  it  did  not,  any  long  continued 
aggravation  of  the  evils  of  their  condition,  while  it 
would  essentially  serve  his  country.  Indeed,  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Philadelphia,  the  Bashaw  at 
first  affected  to  avenge  himself  by  a severer  treatment 
of  the  captives ; but  this  was  not  long  persisted  in. 
Jt  was  supposed  that  in  case  of  a formidable  attack 
on  the  town,  the  worst  that  would  happen  to  them 
would  be  to  be  taken  into  the  country  for  safe  keeping. 

13* 


150 


FRENCH  MEDIATION. 


It  must,  however,  be  confessed  impossible  for  any 
one  to  have  said  to  what  lengths  the  fury  and  fanati- 
cism of  that  people  might  go,  if  no  concession  was 
made  to  their  pride  or  avarice,  or  the  pressure  of  the 
war  should  drive  then  to  desperation ; our  unfortu- 
nate countrymen  must  often  have  shuddered  at  the 
thought  of  their  possible  destiny.  When  the  First 
Consul  of  France,  in  March,  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Livingston,  directed  his  commissary  at  this  regency 
to  mediate  for  their  release,  Mr.  Beaussier  undertook 
the  office ; and  announced  to  the  Commodore,  that 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  with  some 
usual  gratuities,  would  probably  effect  the  object,  and 
that,  perhaps,  a cartel  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners 
might  be  negotiated,  which  would  reduce  the  sum. 
The  Commodore  did  not  think  himself  authorized  to 
agree  to  these  terms,  and  never  would  go  beyond 
eighty  thousand ; not  that  the  amount  was  important, 
except  on  principle,  and  as  it  might  affect  our  rela- 
tions to  the  other  Barbary  powers.  In  June,  the 
Russian  court,  through  their  minister  at  the  Porte, 
interposed ; but  did  not  bring  the  regency  to  our  con- 
ditions. From  first  to  last,  it  was  a point  of  honour 
with  his  excellency,  the  Bashaw,  not  to  give  up  the 
American  captives  for  a less  sum  than  had  been 
usually  received  from  most  of  the  powers  of  Europe, 
in  turn  for  the  ransom  of  captives  of  like  number  and 
quality.  Even  after  the  bombardment  in  the  ensuing 
summer,  he  w^as  not  ready  to  yield,  though  he  was 
really  sick  of  the  war.  In  his  view,  he  was  conquered 
when  he  ceased  to  be  amply  paid  for  his  prisoners. 
He  finally  accepted  sixty  thousand  dollars,  satisfied, 
m doubt,  that  oui  naval  armament  would  be  coeval 


THE  BEY  OF  TUNIS. 


151 


at  least  with  his  hostility,  if  not  at  all  times  equally 
active  and  formidable ; but  especially  at  that  moment 
apprehensive  that  his  brother’s  general,  Eaton,  if  not 
disarmed  by  negotiation,  would  reinstate  Hamet  in 
the  sovereignty  of  Tripoli. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  the  Commodore  went  to  dis- 
play force  at  Tunis;  where  he  found  a Tripoline 
polacre  dismantled,  having  been  blockaded  for  sixteen 
days  by  Captain  Decatur.  The  Bey  of  Tunis  had, 
for  some  time,  been  uneasy  at  his  treaty  with  the 
United  States.  Why  should  he  not,  like  Algeirs, 
have  an  annual  stipend  ? He  insisted  that  the  Com- 
modore should  land  and  satisfy  him  for  some  property 
alleged  to  be  unlawfully  seized  by  the  former  squadron. 
The  Commodore  made  a short  answer,  that  it  was 
not  his  business,  and  that  he  must  put  to  sea.  He 
found  it  necessary  to  watch  Tunis  during  the  whole 
of  his  command.  In  the  spring  he  took  another 
prize,  a Tripoline;  and,  upon  the  presumption  of  her 
being  condemned,  she  was  estimated,  equipped,  and 
put  in  commission,  called  the  Scourge. 

Finding  that  force  did  not  arrive  from  the  United 
States,  our  officer  resolved  to  endeavour  to  make  some 
use  of  the  friendship  of  Naples.  Although  he  was 
without  diplomatic  authority,  the  minister.  General 
Acton,  from  personal  respect  and  good  will  to  the 
service,  favoured  his  application  to  the  King,  and 
the  Commodore  obtained,  as  a friendly  loan  from  the 
King  to  the  United  States,  six  gunboats  and  two 
bomb  vessels,  completely  fitted  for  service ; also 
liberty  to  ship  twelve  or  fifteen  Neapolitans  to  serve 
under  our  flag  in  each  boat 

With  this  addition  to  his  armament,  on  the  21st 


152  FORCE  OF  THE  COMBATANTS. 

July  he  joined  the  detachment  off  Tripoli.  His  force 
consisted  of  the  frigate  Constitution,  forty-four  guns, 
twenty-four  lb.;  brig  Argus,  eighteen  guns,  twenty- 
four  lb. ; brig  Syren,  eighteen  guns,  eighteen  lb. ; 
Scourge ; schooner  Vixen,  sixteen  guns,  six  lb. ; 
schooner  Nautilus,  sixteen  guns,  six  lb;  Enterprise, 
fourteen  guns,  six  lb. ; six  gunboats  of  one  brass 
twenty-six  pounder  each ; and  two  bombard  ketches, 
each  carrying  a thirteen  inch  mortar;  the  whole 
number  of  men  one  thousand  and  sixty. 

The  enemy  had  on  his  castle  and  several  batteries, 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  guns;  fifty-five  of  which 
were  heavy  battering  brass  cannon — the  others  long 
eighteen  and  twelve  pounders ; nineteen  gunboats, 
with  each  a long  brass  eighteen  or  twenty-four 
pounder  in  the  bow  and  two  howitzers  abaft.  He 
had  two  schooners  of  eight  guns  each,  a brig  of  ten, 
and  two  gallies,  having  each  four  guns.  In  addition 
to  the  ordinary  Turkish  garrison,  stationed  upon  the 
fortifications,  and  the  crews  of  the  boats  and  armed 
vessels,  computed  at  about  three  thousand,  the  Bashaw 
had  called  in  to  the  defence  of  his  city  more  than 
twenty  thousand  Arabs.  These  forces  were  arranged 
in  the  positions  best  adapted  for  repelling  an  attack, 
and  also  for  seizing  the  occasion  of  falling  upon  any 
detachment  of  the  invading  force,  which  could  be 
drawn  from  the  main  hody.^ 

The  weather  prevented  the  squadron  from  ap- 
proaching the  enemy  till  the  28th,  when,  after 

* A detail  of  the  operations  of  the  American  fleet  in  the  Mediter  • 
ranean,  by  W.  Eaton,  Esq.,  compared  with  Commodore  Preble^s 
despatches,  journal,  correspondence,  and  other  letters  from  officers  in 
the  squadron,  have  supplied  the  facts  in  the  narrative  from  which  the 
following  sketch  is  compiled. 


BOMBARDMENT  OF  TRIPOLI.  153 

anchoring  within  two  and  a half  miles  of  his  line  of 
defence,  the  wind  suddenly  shifted  and  increased  to 
a gale.  < They  were  compelled  to  weigh  and  gain  an 
offing.  On  the  1st  of  August,  the  gale  subsided,  and 
the  squadron  on  the  3d,  (the  weather  being  pleasant 
and  the  wind  at  east,)  at  noon  were  within  two  or 
three  miles  of  the  batteries,  which  were  all  closely 
manned. 

The  Commodore,  observing  that  several  of  the 
enemy’s  boats  had  taken  a station  without  the  reef 
of  rocks,  which  covers  the  entrance  of  the  harbour, 
about  two  miles  from  its  bottom,  resolved  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  this  circumstance,  and  made  signal  for  the 
squadron  to  come  within  speaking  distance,  when  he 
communicated  to  the  several  commanders  his  inten- 
tion of  attacking  the  shipping  and  batteres.  The 
gun  and  mortar  boats  were  immediately  manned,  and 
prepared  to  cast  off.  The  gunboats  in  two  divisions 
of  three  each — the  first  division  under  Captain  Somers 
on  board  No.  1,  with  Lieutenant  James  Decatur  in 
No.  2,  and  Lieutenant  Blake  in  No.  3.  The  second 
division  under  Captain  Decatur  in  No.  4,  with  Lieu- 
tenant  Bainbridge  in  No.  5,  and  Lieutenant  Trippe 
in  No.  6.  The  two  bombards  were  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  commandant  Dent,  and  by  Mr.  Robinson, 
first  lieutenant  of  the  Commodore’s  ship.  At  half-past 
one  o’clock,  the  squadron  stood  for  the  batteries — at 
two,  cast  off  the  gunboats ; at  half-past  two,  signal 
for  the  bombs  and  boats  to  advance  and  attack,  and 
in  fifteen  minutes  after,  signal  was  given  for  general 
action.  It  was  commenced  by  the  bombs  throwing 
shells  into  the  town.  In  an  instant  the  enemy’s  lines 
opened  a tremendous  fire  from  not  less  than  two 
U 


154 


EXPLOITS  OF  DECATUR. 


hundred  guns,  which  was  promptly  returned  by  the 
• whole  squadron,  now  within  musket-shot  of  the  prin- 
cipal batteries. 

At  this  moment  Captain  Decatur,  with  his  three 
gunboats,  attacked  the  enemy’s  eastern  division,  con- 
sisting of  nine.  He  was  soon  in  the  centre  of  them, 
and  the  fire  of  grape,  langrage  and  musketry  was 
changed  to  a deadly  personal  combat  with  the  bayonet, 
spear,  sabre  and  tomahawk.  Captain  Decatur  grap- 
pled one  of  the  enemy’s  boats,  and  boarded  with  but 
fifteen  men.  He  parried  the  blows  of  five  Turks, 
who  fell  upon  him  with  scimetars,  so  as  to  receive  no 
injury,  till  a blow  from  the  boat’s  captain,  a powerful 
Turk,  cleft  his  blade  in  two.  He  instantly  closed  with 
the  Turk,  but,  overpowered  by  muscular  strength,  he 
fell  under  him  across  the  gunnel  of  the  boat.  In  this 
position  he  drew  a side  pistol,  and  killed  his  antago- 
nist. Meantime,  his  sergeant  and  a marine  soldier, 
seeing  his  danger,  flew  to  his  relief,  and  engaged  and 
slew  the  other  four  assailants.  By  this  time  the  other 
thirteen  men  had  vanquished  the  residue  of  the  crew, 
thirty-one  in  number,  and  the  boat’s  colours  were 
hauled  down.  Captain  Decatur  left  this  boat  in 
charge  of  an  officer,  and  immediately  with  Lieutenant 
M‘Donough,  and  eight  men  beside  himself,  laid  another 
boat  on  board,  which  he  carried,  after  a desperate  and 
bloody  encounter  of  a few  minutes.  The  fierce  des- 
peration of  the  Arnaout  Turks,  who  value  themselves 
on  never  yielding,  made  the  slaughter  of  the  enemy  in 
these  conflicts  immense.  The  two  prizes  of  Captain 
Decatur  had  thirty-three  officers  and  men  killed,  and 
twenty-seven  made  prisoners,  nineteen  of  whom  were 
severely  wounded. 


Bombardment  of  Tripoli. 


LfORARY 
OF  THE 

UrJ?VE,^SiTY  CF  ILLINO 


EXPLOITS  OF  LIEUTExVAJST  TRIPPE.  157 

Lieutenant  Trippe  boarded  one  of  the  enemy’s 
large  boats  with  only  a midshipman,  Mr.  Jonathan 
Henley,  and  nine  men.  His  boat  falling  off  before 
any  more  could  join  him,  he  was  left  to  conquer  or 
perish  with  the  fearful  odds  of  eleven  to  thirty-six. 
In  a few  minutes,  however,  though  for  a moment  the 
victory  seemed  dubious,  the  enemy  was  subdued ; 
fourteen  of  them  lost  their  lives,  and  twenty-two  sub- 
mitted to  be  prisoners ; seven  of  whom  were  badly 
wounded.  Lieutenant  Trippe  received  eleven  sabre 
wounds,  some  of  which  were  deep  and  dangerous. 
The  blade  of  his  sword  also  yielded.  He  closed  with 
the  enemy ; both  fell,  but,  in  the  struggle,  Trippe 
wrested  the  Turk’s  sword  from  him,  and  with  it 
pierced  his  body.  Mr.  Henley,  in  this  encounter, 
displayed  a valour  joined  to  a coolness  that  would 
have  honoured  a veteran.  Lieutenant  Bainbridge 
had  his  lateen-yard  shot  away,  which  baffled  his  ut- 
most exertions  to  get  alongside  the  enemy’s  boats; 
but  his  active  ajid  well  directed  fire  within  musket 
shot  was  very  effective.  At  one  time  he  had  in  his 
ardour  pushed  forward  so  that  his  boat  grounded 
within  pistol  shot  of  one  of  the  enemy’s  formidable 
batteries,  and  where  he  was  exposed  to  volleys  of 
musketry.  But,  by  address  and  courage,  he  ex- 
tricated himself  from  this  situation,  and,  so  ill- 
directed  was  the  enemy’s  fire,  without  receiving  any 
injury. 

Captain  Somers  was  not  able  to  fetch  far  enough 
to  windward,  to  co-operate  with  Decatur.  But  he 
bore  down  upon  the  leeward  division  of  the  enemy, 
and,  with  his  single  boat,  within  pistol-shot  attacked 
five  full  manned  boats,  defeated  and  drove  them  in  a 

14 


158  DEATH  OF  LIEUTENANT  DECATUR, 

shattered  condition,  and  with  the  loss  of  man}  lives, 
under  shelter  of  the  rocks. 

Lieutenant  Decatur,  in  No.  2,  engaged  with  one  of 
the  enemy’s  largest  boats,  which  struck  after  the  loss 
of  the  greatest  part  of  her  men.  At  the  moment  this 
brave  young  officer  was  stepping  on  board  his  prize, 
he  was  shot  through  the  head  by  the  Turkish  captain, 
who,  by  this  means,  escaped,  while  the  Americans 
were  recovering  the  body  of  their  unfortunate  com- 
mander. 

The  two  bomb  vessels  kept  their  station,  although 
often  covered  with  the  spray  of  the  sea,  occasioned  by 
the  enemy’s  shot.  They  kept  up  a constant  fire  and 
threw  a great  number  of  shells  into  the  town.  Five 
of  the  enemy’s  gunboats  and  two  gallies,  composing 
their  centre  division,  stationed  within  the  rocks,  joined 
by  the  boats  which  had  been  driven  in,  and  reinforced, 
twice  attempted  to  row  out  and  surround  our  gun- 
boats and  prizes.  They  were  as  often  foiled  by  the 
vigilance  of  the  Commodore,  who  gave  signal  to  the 
. brigs  and  schooners  to  cover  them,  which  was  properly 
attended  to  by  these  vessels,  all  of  which  were  gal- 
lantly conducted,  and  annoyed  the  enemy  exceedingly. 
The  fire  of  the  Constitution  had  its  ample  share  in 
this  bombardment.  It  kept  the  enemy’s  flotilla  in 
constant  disorder,  and  produced  no  inconsiderable 
effect  on  shore.  The  frigate  was  constantly  in  easy 
motion ; and  always  found  where  danger  threatened 
to  defeat  the  arrangements  of  the  day.  Several  times 
she  was  within  two  cables’  length  of  the  rocks,  and 
three  of  the  batteries,  every  one  of  which  were  suc- 
cessively silenced  as  often  as  her  broadside  could  be 
brought  to  bear  on  them ; but  having  no  large  vessels 


CLOSE  OF  THE  ACT  159 

to  secure  these  advantages,  when  circumstances  com- 
pelled her  to  change  her  position,  the  silenced  batteries 
were  reanimated.  “We  suffered  most,”  says  the 
Commodore,  “ when  wearing  or  tacking.  It  was 
then  I most  sensibly  felt  the  want  of  another  frigate.” 

At  half-past  four,  the  wind  inclining  to  the  north- 
ward, and  at  the  same  time  the  enemy^s  flotilla  having 
retreated  behind  coverts  which  shielded  them  from 
our  shot,  while  our  people  were  necessarily  much  ex- 
hausted by  two  hours  and  a half  severe  exertion,  signal 
was  given  for  the  gunboats  and  bombs  to  retire  from 
action ; and,  immediately  after,  to  the  brigs  and 
schooners  to  take  the  gunboats  and  their  prizes  in 
tow,  which  was  handsomely  executed,  the  whole 
covered  by  a heavy  fire  from  the  Constitution.  In 
fifteen  minutes  the  squadron  was  out  of  reach  of  the 
enemy’s  shot,  and  the  Commodore  hauled  off  to  give 
tow  to  the  bomb  ketches. 

The  squadron  were  more  than  two  hours  within 
grapeshot  distance  of  the  enemy’s  batteries,  and  under 
a constant  fire.  But  the  damage  received  was  in  no 
proportion  to  the  apparent  danger,  or  to  the  effect 
produced  by  the  assailants.  The  frigate  took  a 
thirty-two  pound  shot  in  her  mainmast,  about  thirty 
feet  from  the  deck,  her  sails  and  rigging  were  con- 
siderable cut;  one  of  her  quarterdeck  guns  was  in- 
jured by  a round  shot,  which  burst  in  pieces  and 
shattered  a mariner’s  arm,  but  not  a man  was  killed 
on  board  of  her.  The  other  vessels  and  boats  suffered 
in  their  rigging,  and  had  sundry  men  wounded,  but 
lost  none  except  Lieutenant  Decatur,  the  brother  of 
the  Captain  Decatur,  so  conspicuous  in  this  war. 
Several  circumstances  explain  this  impunity  of  our 


160 


LOSS  OF  THE  EXE  MY. 


squadron.  Where  the  engagement  was  close — as 
with  the  boats — the  impetuosity  of  the  attack  as  well 
as  our  more  dexterous  use  of  the  weapons  of  de- 
struction overpowered  and  appalled  the  enemy.  The 
barbarians  are  unskilful  gunners.  The  shower  of 
grapeshot  annoyed  and  discomposed  them  in  the 
aplication  of  what  little  skill  they  possessed.  The 
assailing  party  were  so  near  as  to  be  overshot  by 
the  batteries ; especially  as  the  managers  of  the  guns 
were  so  fearful  of  exposing  their  heads  above  the 
parapets,  as  easily  to  oversight  their  object. 

Very  different  was  the  result  of  this  conflict  to  the 
enemy.  The  American  fire  was  not  an  empty  peal, 
but  a messenger  of  death  in  every  direction.  The 
three  captured  boats  had  one  hundred  and  three  men 
on  board,  forty-seven  of  whom  were  killed,  twenty-six 
wounded,  and  thirty  only  fit  for  duty.  Three  other 
boats  were  sunk  with  their  entire  crews,  and  the 
decks  of  their  vessels  in  the  harbour  were  swept  of 
numbers.  The  effect  on  shore  was  not  so  great  as 
in  the  shipping,  but  still  such  as  to  spread  consterna- 
tion. Several  Turks  were  killed  and  wounded,  and 
many  guns  of  the  fort  dismounted,  and  the  town  was 
considerably  damaged. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  bombardment  made  a 
powerful  impression  on  the  mind  of  the  enemy.  The 
burning  of  the  Philadelphia  -could  not  fail  to  make 
the  Bashaw  and  his  people  apprehend  something 
serious  from  the  present  commander.  When  the 
squadron  was  seen  standing  in,  however,  he  affected 
contempt,  and  surveying  them  from  his  palace,  ob- 
served, “ they  will  mark  their  distance  for  tacking; 
thoy  are  a sort  of  Jews  who  have  no  notion  of  fight- 


OPINIONS  01  THE  TURKS. 


161 


ing.’’  The  palace  and  terraces  of  the  houses  were 
crowded  with  spectators  to  see  the  chastisement  the 
Bashaw’s  boats  would  give  the  squadron,  if  they 
approached  too  near.  This  exultation  was  very 
transient.  The  battle  was  scarcely  joined,  when  no 
one  was  seen  on  shore,  except  on  the  batteries. 
Many  of  the  inhabitants  fled  into  the  country ; and 
the  Bashaw,  it  is  said,  retreated,  with  his  priest,  to 
his  bomb-proof  room.  An  intelligent  officer  of  the 
Philadelphia,  then  in  captivity,  observes,  that  the 
Turks  asked  if  those  men  that  fought  so  were  Ame- 
ricans, or  internals  in  Christian  shape,  sent  to 
destroy  the  sons  of  the  Prophet.  “The  English, 
French  and  Spanish  consuls,”  say  they,  “ have  told 
us  that  they  are  a young  nation,  and  got  their  inde- 
pendence by  means  of  F ranee  ; that  they  had  a small 
navy  and  their  officers  were  inexperienced,  and  that 
they  were  merely  a nation  of  merchants,  and,  that,  by 
taking  their  ships  and  men,  we  should  get  great 
ransoms.  Instead  of  this,  their  Preble  pays  us  a coin 
of  shot,  shells,  and  hard  blows ; and  sent  a Decatur, 
in  a dark  night,  with  a band  of  Christian  dogs  fierce 
and  cruel  as  the  tiger,  who  killed  our  brothers  and 
burnt  our  ships  before  our  eyes.” 

On  the  5th  August,  the  Commodore  prevailed  on  a 
F rench  privateer  which  had  left  Tripoli  that  morning, 
to  return  with  fourteen  wounded  Tripolines,  whose 
wounds  had  been  carefully  dressed,  and  whom  the 
Commodore  sent  with  a letter  to  the  Bashaw’s  min- 
ister. These  prisoners,  it  is  said,  informed  the  prince 
that  the  Americans  in  battle  were  fiercer  than  lions, 
but,  in  the  treatment  of  their  captives,  were  even  more 
kind  than  the  Musselman.  The  barbarian  at  first 
X 14* 


162  SECOND  BOMBARDMENT. 

misunderstood  the  motive  of  sending  these  nyen,  hut 
afterwards  professed  to  he  pleased  with  the  act,  and 
said  if  he  took  any  wounded  Americans  they  should 
he  likewise  returned ; but  he  would  not  restore  any 
of  the  Philadelphia’s  crew.  On  the  7th,  the  privateer 
returned  with  a letter  from  the  French  consul  signi- 
fying that  the  Bashaw  had  very  much  lowered  his 
tone ; and  would  probably  treat  on  reasonable  terms. 
But  nothing  definite  or  satisfactory  being  proposed 
by  the  enemy,  and  the  terms  intimated  being  higher 
than  the  commander  was  willing  or  felt  authorized  to 
make,  he  prepared  for  a second  attack.  The  bomb 
vessels,  under  lieutenants  Crane  and  Thorne,  were  to 
take  a station  in  a small  bay  west  of  the  town,  whence 
they  could  distress  the  town,  without  being  much 
exposed  themselves ; the  gunboats  were  to  he  opposed 
to  a seven  gun  battery,  and  the  brigs  and  schooners 
to  support  them  in  case  the  enemy’s  flotilla  should 
venture  out.  At  half-past  two,  the  assault  was  made. 
Within  two  hours  six  of  the  seven  guns  were  silenced. 
Forty-eight  shells  and  about  five  hundred  round  shot, 
twenty-four  pounders,  were  thrown  into  the  town  and 
batteries,  when,  between  five  and  six,  P.  M.,  the 
squadron  retired  from  action.  During  the  engage- 
ment, the  enemy’s  gunboats  and  gallies  manoeuvred 
to  gain  a position  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  ours;  but 
the  larger  vessels  were  so  arranged  as  to  defeat  their 
design. 

In  this  rencounter,  at  about  half-past  three,  one  of 
the  prize  boats  was  blown  up  by  a hot  shot  from  the 
, enemy’s  battery,  which  passed  through  her  magazine. 

She  had  on  board  twenty-eight  officers,  seamen, 
and  marines,  ten  of  whom  were  killed,  and  six 


REINFORCEMi  NT  EXPECTED.  16b 

wounded,  among  the  former  were  Mr.  James  Cald- 
well, iirst  lieutenant  of  the  Siren,  and  Mr.  J.  Dorsey, 
midshipman.  Mr.  Spence,  midshipman,  and  eleven 
men  were  taken  up  unhurt.  This  young  officer,  was 
superintending  the  loading  of  a gun  when  the  explo- 
sion took  place.  He,  with  the  survivors,  finished  the 
loading,  and  having  discharged  her,  whilst  the  boat 
was  sinking,  jumped  into  the  sea  and  was  taken  up 
by  another  boat.  The  loss  this  day  was  twenty-two 
killed,  and  six  w^ounded,  two  of  them  mortally. 

It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  the  enemy  suf- 
fered less  at  this  time  than  on  the  third. 

At  eight,  in  the  evening,  the  John  Adams,  Captain 
Chauncey,  joined  the  squadron.  By  him  the  Com- 
modore had  the  first  official  notice  that  four  frigates 
were  on  their  passage  to  reinforce  his  detachment. 
At  the  same  time  also  he  learned,  that,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  a senior  officer  to  one  of  the  frigates,  he  would 
be  superseded  in  the  command.  The  government 
weio  highly  satisfied  with  the  Commodore,  but  they 
had  not  a sufficient  number  of  captains,  juniors  to 
Preble,  to  supply  all  the  frigates  sent  out ; and  they 
did  not  think  the  saving  of  his  feelings  would  justify 
the  creation  of  any  others.  Had  they,  however, 
known  or  anticipated  his  brilliant  success  at  this 
time,  they  would,  probably,  have  ventured  upon  pro- 
moting one  or  two  of  the  gallant  lieutenants  in  the 
Mediterranean,  in  order  to  keep  the  Commodore  in 
the  chief  command. 

As  the  frigates  were  to  sail  four  days  after  the 
lohn  Adams,  further  operations  were  suspended  in 
expectation  of  their  arrival.  No  assistance  could  be 
received  from  this  frigate,  as  her  guns  had  been 


164 


THIRD  BOMBARDMENT. 


stowed  by  the  kelson,  and  their  carriages  put  awa) 
in  the  other  frigates,  to  make  room  for  her  cargo,  she 
being  sent  out  as  a transport. 

Captain  Chauncey  received  orders  to  remain  on 
the  station,  that  Commodore  Preble  might  make  use 
of  his  boats  and  men,  should  the  delay  of  the  expected 
reinforcement  determine  him  to  renew  the  attack. 
The  squadron  kept  their  station  before  the  town, 
prepared  to  strike  a decisive  blow  on  the  arrival  of 
Commodore  Barron. 

On  the  9th,  Commodore  Preble,  in  the  brig  Argus, 
reconnoitered  the  harbour.  The  next  day,  a flag  of 
truce  was  seen  flying  on  the  shore.  The  Commodore 
sent  a boat  on  shore,  which  was  not  permitted  to 
land,  but  returned  with  a letter  from  the  French 
consul,  advising  the  Commodore  that  the  Bashaw 
would  accept  five  hundred  dollars  each  for  the  ransom 
of  the  prisoners,  and  terminate  the  war  without  any 
consideration  or  annuity  for  peace. 

The  amount  of  the  demand  was  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which  the  Commodore  re- 
jected, but,  for  the  sake  of  the  captives,  and  to  save 
the  further  efiusion  of  blood,  offered  eighty  thousand, 
and  ten  thousand  for  presents.  After  beginning  to 
treat  with  the  French  commissary  general,  the  Bashaw 
suspended  the  negotiation,  saying  he  would  wait  the 
result  of  another  attack.  On  the  night  of  the  23d, 
the  bomb  vessels,  under  protection  of  the  gunboats, 
were  sent  in  to  bombard  the  town.  The  bombard- 
ment commenced  at  two,  A.  M.,  and  continued  till 
daylight;  but,  as  it  was  subsequently  ascertained, 
without  much  effect. 

On  the  27th,  the  weather  proving  favourable,  the 


THE  CASTLE  AND  TOWN  ATTACKED.  165 

Commodore  stood  in  for  Tripoli,  and  anchored  his 
ship  two  miles  N.  by  E.  from  fort  English ; the  light 
vessels  keeping  under  way.  A number  of  his  officers 
and  many  of  the  seamen  being  employed  in  the  boats, 
Captain  Chauncey  and  several  of  his  officers,  with 
about  seventy  seamen,  volunteered  their  services  or 
board  the  Constitution. 

The  gunboats,  accompanied  by  the  Syren,  Argus, 
Vixen,  Nautilus,  Enterprise,  and  boats  of  the  squad- 
ron anchored,  at  three  in  the  morning,  within  pistol- 
shot  of  the  enemy  ^s  lines,  with  springs  on  their  cables, 
and  commenced  a brisk  fire  on  their  shipping,  town, 
batteries,  and  castle,  which  was  warmly  returned. 
The  ships’  boats  remained  with  the  gunboats  to  assist 
in  boarding  the  flotilla,  in  case  it  should  come  out, 
and  the  brigs  and  schooners  were  kept  under  way, 
either  to  harrass  the  enemy  or  to  assist  the  gunboats. 
At  daylight,  apprehensive  that  the  ammunition  in 
the  gunboats  must  be  nearly  exhausted,  the  Com- 
modore weighed  anchor,  and,  standing  in,  under  the 
direct  fire  of  fort  English,  the  castle,  crown  and  mole 
batteries,  made  signal  for  the  gunboats  to  retire  from 
action.  When  arrived  within  a sure  distance,  he 
opened  his  battery  with  round  and  grapeshot,  upon 
thirteen  gunboats  and  gallies,  which  were  closely  en- 
gaged with  ours ; sunk  one  of  them,  disabled  two,  and 
put  the  rest  to  flight.  He  continued  running  in  until 
within  musket  shot  of  the  batteries ; when  he  hove 
to,  fired  three  hundred  round  shot,  besides  grape  and 
canister,  into  the  Bashaw’s  castle,  town  and  batteries. 
He  silenced  the  castle,  and  two  of  the  batteries,  and 
a little  after  six  hauled  off 


166 


ATTACK  RENEWED. 


The  gunboats  fired  four  hundred  round  shot,  be- 
sides grape  and  canister,  with  evident  efiect. 

A boat  from  the  John  Adams,  with  a master’s 
mate  and  eight  men  on  board,  was  sunk  by  a double- 
headed shot,  which  killed  three  seamen  and  badly 
wounded  another.  The  efiect  of  this  attack  was 
serious  on  shore.  A thirty-six  pound  shot  penetrated 
the  castle  and  entered  the  apartment  of  the  prisoners, 
and  damage  was  done  to  houses,  and  some  lives 
destroyed. 

The  French  commissary  now  renewed  the  negotia- 
tion for  peace,  but  it  was  broken  off  in  consequence, 
as  he  thought,  of  one  of  the  squadron  approaching 
the  harbour,  as  a cartel,  which,  he  said,  was  inter- 
preted by  the  ignorant  and  mistrustful  Bashaw  as  a 
proof  of  discouragement  on  the  part  of  the  invader. 

On  the  Sd  September,  the  bomb  ketches  being  re- 
paired, as  well  as  the  damages  sustained  by  the  other 
vessels  in  the  action  of  the  27th,  the  squadron  was 
again  ready  and  disposed  for  another  attack  on  the 
town  and  batteries.  Between  three  and  four  o’clock, 
the  action  commenced  and  soon  became  general.  As 
our  gunboats  bore  down  on  the  boats  and  gallies  of 
the  enemy,  they  gave  ground,  and  retreated  under 
cover  of  the  musketry  on  shore.  The  brigs  and 
schooners  pursued  with  the  gunboats  as  far  as  the 
depth  of  the  water  would  permit,  and  within  musket 
shot  of  fort  English.  The  action  in  this  quarter  now 
became  divided.  The  brigs  and  schooners  with  one 
division  of  tli  3 gunboats  engaged  fort  English ; the 
other  division  continued  engaged  with  the  boats  and 
gallies. 


THE  FIRE  SHIP.  167 

The  two  bomb  ketches,  while  directing  their  shells 
into  the  town,  were  exposed  to  the  direct  fire  from 
the  Bashaw’s  castles,  the  crown,  mole,  and  several 
other  batteries.  The  Commodore,  perceiving  their 
danger,  ran  his  ship  between  them  and  the  batteries, 
within  musket  shot,  where  not  less  than  seventy  guns 
were  brought  to  bear  on  him,  and  there  discharged 
eleven  broadsides  with  so  good  efiect  as  to  silence 
one  of  the  principal  batteries,  and  to  injure  the  others 
and  town  materially.  The  wind  veering  to  the  north- 
ward and  beginning  to  blow  fresh,  at  half-past  four, 
P.  M.,  he  gave  signal  to  retire  from  action  under 
cover  of  the  Constitution.  In  this  engagement,  al- 
though the  frigate  and  vessels  were  much  damaged, 
not  a man  was  lost.  The  bomb  vessel  commanded 
by  Lieutenant  Robinson  had  all  her  shrouds  shot 
away,  and  was  so  shattered  in  the  hull  as  to  be  kept 
above  water  with  difficulty.  The  Argus  received  a 
thirty-two  pound  shot  in  her  hull,  which  cut  away  a 
bower  cable  as  it  entered,  and  which  so  checked  its 
velocity,  that  it  fell  upon  deck  without  doing  injury. 

The  Commodore  had  for  some  time  contemplated 
sending  a fire  ship  into  the  harbour  to  destroy  the 
flotilla,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  throw  a quantity  of 
shells  into  the  town.  Captain  Somers  volunteered 
in  this  service,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  Lieutenants 
Wadsworth  and  Israel,  fitted  out  the  ketch  Intrepid 
for  this  expedition.  An  hundred  barrels  of  gun- 
powder, and  one  hundred  and  fifty  fixed  shells  were 
placed  in  the  hold,  with  fuses  and  combustibles  so 
applied,  as  to  fire  them  without  endangering  the  re- 
treat of  the  adventurers.  On  the  evening  of  the  4th 
Septen.jer,  Captain  Somers  chose  two  fast  rowing 


168  THE  FIRE  SHIP  EXPLODES. 

boats  from  the  squadron,  to  bring  off  the  people, 
having  fired  the  vessel.  His  own  boat  was  manned 
by  four  seamen  from  the  Nautilus,  with  Lieutenant 
Wadsworth  and  six  men  from  the  Constitution.  At 
eight,  they  parted  from  the  squadron  and  stood  into 
the  harbour,  convoyed  by  the  Argus,  Vixen,  and 
Nautilus,  to  within  a short  distance  of  the  batteries. 
Having  gained  the  inner  harbour,  and  near  at  the 
point  of  destination,  she  was  boarded  and  carried 
by  two  gallies  of  one  hundred  men  each.  At  this 
moment,  she  exploded.  The  effect  was  awful.  Every 
battery  was  silenced,  and  not  a gun  was  fired  after- 
wards during  the  night.  Captain  Somers  is  said  to 
have  declared  to  a friend,  that,  in  case  the  Intrepid 
should  be  boarded,  as  he  was  apprehensive,  he  would 
not  be  captured.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  on  the  enemy  proving  successful,  the  captain 
seized  a quick  match  and  touched  a train  which  com- 
municated instant  fire  to  the  mine — by  which  he  and 
his  brave  companions  found,  with  the  enemy,  a com- 
mon death. 

Nothing  occurred  after  this  till  the  two  squadrons 
joined,  on  the  9th  of  September.  Though  Commo 
dore  Barron  took  departure  from  the  capes  of  Vir- 
ginia on  the  5th  July,  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Western  Islands  in  sixteen  days,  they  were  fifty  days 
on  their  passage  thence  to  the  coast  of  Tripoli,  having 
experienced  forty-one  days  head  winds,  and  calms  in 
the  meantime. 

Here  ended  Mr.  Preble’s  command,  so  honourable 
to  himself,  and  in  both  its  immediate  and  distant  con- 
sequences important  to  his  country.  In  naval  tactics 
his  active  and  discerning  mind  anticipated  the  effect 


SERVICES  OF  PREBLE.  169 

of  long  and  familiar  experience.  In  thjs  enterprise, 
he  displayed  the  rapidity  of  conception,  and  prompti- 
tude to  act  so  requisite  in  critical  circumstances,  along 
with  the  foresight,  circumspection,  and  steady  perse- 
verance always  necessary  to  success  in  difficult  under- 
takings. The  energy  and  intrepidity  which  marked 
his  character,  the  passion  for  achieving  deeds  of 
honour  that  glowed  in  his  breast,  were  emulated  and 
shared  by  his  officers,  and  fully  seconded  by  his  men, 
who  thought  mighty  things  easy  under  such  a com- 
mander. His  conduct  of  this  w^ar  made  an  impres- 
sion on  the  African  governments,  that  will  not  soon 
be  effaced,  and  cannot  fail,  for  a long  period  of  time, 
to  check  their  disposition  to  interrupt  the  peace  that 
has  been  settled. 

All  joined  in  the  suffrage  to  the  distinguished  merits 
of  the  Commodore.  His  Holiness,  the  Pope,  is  said 
to  have  remarked,  that  he  had  done  more  towards 
humbling  the  antichristian  barbarians  on  that  coast, 
than  all  the  Christian  States  had  ever  done.  Sir 
Alexander  Ball,  in  a letter  dated  September  20th, 
said — “I  beg  to  repeat  my  congratulations  on  the 
services  you  have  rendered  your  country,  and  the 
hair-breadth  escapes  you  have  had  in  setting  a dis- 
tinguished example.  Their  bravery  and  enterprise 
are  worthy  a great  and  rising  nation.  If  I were  to 
offer  my  opinion,  it  would  be  that  you  have  done  well 
not  to  purchase  a peace  with  the  enemy.  A few 
brave  men  have,  indeed,  been  sacrificed,  but  they  could 
not  have  fallen  in  a better  cause,  and  I even  conceive 
it  advisable  to  risk  more  lives  rather  than  submit  to 
terms  which  might  encourage  the  Barbary  states  to 
add  fresh  demands  and  insults.” 

Y 15 


170  TRIBUTES  OF  RESPECT. 

After  the  squadron  joined,  the  Commodore  obtained 
leave  to  return  home,  w^hich  he  was  the  more  willing 
to  do,  as  it  would  give  the  command  of  a frigate  to 
Captain  Decatur.  The  officers  joined  in  an  address 
to  their  late  commander,  containing  the  strongest  ex 
pressions  of  attachment  and  respect.  The  Congress 
of  the  United  States  voted  the  thanks  of  the  nation 
and  an  emblematical  medal,  which  were  presented  by 
the  President  with  emphatic  declarations  of  esteem 
and  admiration. 

AVhen  the  Commodore  returned,  he  was  received 
and  treated  every  where  with  distinguished  attention. 
His  countrymen  showed  that  they  were  proud  of  his 
fame,  and  grateful  for  his  services.  From  this  time 
he  was  much  consulted  and  employed  by  the  govern- 
ment in  the  management  of  their  naval  concerns — 
peace  was  the  next  year  made  with  Tripoli,  and  the 
prisoners  ransomed — and  our  navy  was  not  again 
ordered  abroad. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1806,  the  health  of 
Mr.  Preble  began  to  decline.  It  was  the  same  com- 
plaint— a debility  of  the  digestive  organs — under  which 
he  was  near  sinking  a few  years  before.  For  many 
months  he  struggled  with  his  disorder,  indulging  a 
hope  of  recovering  till  within  ten  days  of  his  death. 
Finding  that  the  inveteracy  of  his  malad}  bid  defiance 
to  medical  skill,  he  resolved  on  a water  excursion  as  a 
last  experiment.  On  Sunday,  the  9th  of  August,  1807, 
he  went  on  board  a packet  and  stood  out  to  sea,  but 
finding  no  relief  he  returned  on  the  Thursday  follow- 
ing, sensible  that  the  hour  of  his  dissolution  was  ap 
proaching.  In  the  view  of  this  event  he  displayed 
the  fortitude  which  became  his  character,  and  his 


DEATH  OF  COMMODORE  PREBLE.  171 

exit  was  in  full  correspondence  with  his  life.  He 
breathed  his  last  on  Tuesday,  the  25th  of  August, 
1807,  in  the  forty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  The  inhabit- 
ants of  Portland  united  in  every  mark  of  respect  to 
his  remains.  On  the  day  of  his  funeral,  business  was 
suspended,  the  colours  were  displayed  at  half  mast 
from  the  shipping  in  the  harbour,  and  he  was  interred 
with  military  honours  and  the  ceremonies  of  religion 
and  masonry. 

On  the  intelligence  of  his  death  reaching  Washing- 
ton, the  firing  of  minute  guns  and  other  marks  of 
naval  mourning  were  ordered  in  testimony  of  the 
honour  due  to  the  memory  of  a patriot  and  hero ; and 
of  the  unfeigned  sorrow  produced  by  his  death. 

The  person,  air  and  countenance  of  Commodore 
Preble  answered  to  his  character.  His  features 
expressed  strong  passions  along  with  manly  and 
generous  feelings.  His  attitude  was  erect  yet  easy 
and  natural,  his  step  firm,  and  his  whole  appearance 
and  port  were  noble  and  commanding.  In  the  calm 
of  domestic  life  and  the  society  of  his  equals,  he  was 
placid  and  affectionate ; in  the  exercise  of  authority, 
peremptory  and  rigid.  But,  though  he  made  himself 
feared,  and  might  be  thought  sometimes  imperious 
and  severe,  yet  he  retained  a strong  interest  in  the 
affections  of  his  officers  and  men,  who  were  convinced 
of  the  goodness  of  his  disposition  and  the  sincerity 
of  his  friendship.  If  he  failed  in  uniformly  restrain- 
ing the  impetuosity  of  his  temper,  he  had  ,io  trait  of 
arrogance,  malignity  or  revenge  in  his  nature.  Signal 
instances  of  his  humanity  and  generosity  might  be 
related.  He  was  patient  of  labour,  and  in  business 
was  remarkable  for  exactness  and  despatch.  He  was 


172  CHARACTER  OF  PREBLE. 

a kind  neighbour  and  useful  public-spirited  citizen. 
He  cherished  his  relatives  with  tenderness,  and  was 
the  object  of  their  fond  regard.  He  had  been  several 
years  married,  and  left  a wife  and  one  child — a son — 
to  feel  his  loss,  and  to  inherit  the  precious  legacy  of  ’ 
his  honourable  name.  At  the  time  he  died,  he  had 
nearly  completed  an  elegant  mansion  where,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  easy  circumstances,  and  the  society  of  a 
beloved  family,  he  had  looked  for  the  repose  endeared 
by  past  scenes  of  toil  and  danger.  It  pleased  heaven 
i to  defeat  his  plans  and  terminate  his  prospects  by 

untimely  death,  thus  teaching  us  to  value  our  life  by 
the  good  and  noble  actions  it  contains,  and  not  by 
tlj^;'  time  it  endures.^ 

* Port  Folio. 

j 

i 
1 
t 
! 


THOMAS  TRUXTUN. 

HE  subject  of  the 
present  memoir, 
whose  deeds  shed 
a lustre  on  the 
infant  navy  of  his 
country,  was  the 
son  of  an  eminent 
English  barris- 
ter of  the  State 
(then  Colony)  of 
New  York,  and 
was  born  at  Long  Island,  on  the  17th  of  February, 
1755. 

Our  hero,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  his  father, 
was  placed  under  the  guardianship  of  his  intimate 
friend,  John  Troup,  Esq.,  of  Jamaica,  on  Long  Island ; 
from  whose  affectionate  care,  however,  in  a short 

15*  173 


174 


FIRST  VOYAGE 


time,  the  kindling  spark  of  that  spirit,  which  has  since 
shone  so  conspicuously  in  his  character,  led  him  to 
the  sea ; and,  at  the  early  age  of  twelv^e  years,  he 
embarked  on  his  trial  voyage,  on  hoard  the  ship  Pitt, 
Captain  Joseph  Holmes,  1 ound  to  Bristol.  In  the 
following  year  he  was  placed,  at  his  own  request, 
under  the  direction  of  Captain  James  Chambers — a 
celebrated  commander  in  the  London  trade.  During 
his  appreniiceship,  when  the  armament — in  conse- 
quence of  the  dispute  respecting  the  Falkland  Islands; 
took  place,  he  was  impressed  on  board  the  Prudent, 
an  English  man  of  war  of  sixty-four  guns ; but  was 
afterwards  released,  in  consequence  of  the  application 
of  a person  in  authority.  AVhile  on  board  the  Pru- 
dent, the  captain,  pleased  with  his  intelligence  and 
activity,  endeavoured  to  prevail  on  him  to  remain  in 
the  service,  and  assured  him  that  all  his  interest 
should  be  used  for  his  promotion : hut,  notwith- 
standing the  propects  thus  opened  to  his  youthful  and 
aspiring  mind,  as  he  conceived  that  his  engagements 
with  his  former  commander  would  not  permit  him 
with  honour  to  indulge  his  wishes,  he  left  the  Prudent, 
and  returned  to  his  old  ship. 

In  the  earlv  part  of  1775,  he  commanded  a vessel, 
and  was  very  successful  in  bringing  considerable 
quantities  of  powder  into  the  United  Colonies ; but, 
about  the  close  of  the  same  year,  when  bound  to  St. 
Eustatius,  he  was  seized,  off  the  Island  of  St.  Chris- 
topher, by  the  British  frigate  Argo,  and  detained  until 
the  general  restraining  bill  came  out,  when  his  vessel 
and  cargo,  of  which  he  owned  the  half,  were  con- 
demned. But  what  “ ill-wind”  can  wreck  the  buoy- 
ant mind  of  the  sfilor  He  made  his  way  from  St. 


CRUISE  IN  THE  BRITISH  CHANNI,L.  175 

Christopher’s  to  St.  Eustatius,  and  thence,  embarking 
in  a small  vessel,  after  a short  passage,  he  arrived  in 
Philadelphia.  At  this  period,  the  two  lirst  private 
ships  of  war  fitted  out  in  the  colonies,  called  the 
Congress  and  Chance,  were  equipping  for  sea,  and  he 
entered  on  board  the  former  as  lieutenant.  They 
sailed  in  company,  early  in  the  winter  of  1776,  and 
proceeded  off  the  Havana,  where  they  captured  several 
valuable  Jamaica  ships,  bound  home  through  the  Gulf 
of  Florida ; of  one  of  which  he  took  the  command, 
and  brought  her  safe  into  Bedford,  Massachusetts. 

In  June  1777,  in  company  with  Isaac  Sears,  Esq., 
he  fitted  out,  at  New  York,  a vessel  called  the  Inde- 
pendence of  which  he  took  the  command,  and,  pass- 
ing through  the  Sound,  (Lord  Howe  having  arrived 
with  the  British  fleet  at  Sandy  Hook,  and  blocked 
up  that  outlet,)  he  proceeded  off  the  Azores,  where, 
besides  making  several  other  prizes,  he  fell  in  with  a 
part  of  the  Windward  Island  convoy,  of  which  he 
captured  three  large  and  valuable  ships ; one  of  which 
was  much  superior  to  the  Independence  in  both  guns 
and  hnen.  On  his  return,  he  fitted  out  the  ship  Mars, 
mounting  upwards  of  twenty  guns,  in  which  ^ he  sailed 
on  a cruise  in  the  English  channel.  Some  of  his 
prizes,  which  were  numerous,  he  sent  into  Quiberon 
bay,  which,  in  a great  measure,  laid  the  foundation 
of  Lord  Stormont’s  remonstrance  to  the  French 
court,  against  the  admission  into  her  ports  of  our 
armed  vessels  and  their  prizes.  On  his  return  from 
this  cruise,  he  settled  in  Philadelphia,  commanded, 
and,  in  part  owned,  during  the  rest  of  the  war,  several 
of  the  most  important  armed  vessels  built  in  this 
place;  and  brought  in  from  France  and  the  West 


176  SEVERE  ENGAGEMENT. 

India  islands  large  cargoes  of  the  articles,  which,  in 
those  eventful  times,  were  of  the  first  necessity  for 
the  army.  While  carrying  out  to  France,  Thomas 
Barclay,  Esq.,  our  consul  general  to  that  country, 
he  had  a very  close  and  severe  engagement  with  a 
British  privateer  ship  of  war,  of  thirty-two  guns, 
(double  his  own  force,)  which  he  obliged  to  sheer  off; 
and  she  was  afterwards  towed  into  New  York,  by 
one  of  the  king’s  ships,  in  a very  dismantled  condi- 
tion. The  ship,  then  under  his  command,  was  called 
the  St.  James,  and  mounted  twenty  guns,  with  a crew 
of  about  one  hundred  men — not  half  the  number  on 
board  his  enemy. 

Here  let  us  pay  a tribute  of  justice  founded  upon 
unquestionable  authority.  Captain  William  Jones,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  lately  a member  of  Congress,  being, 
at  this  period,  a very  young  man,  was  patronised 
by  Truxtun,  and  placed  on  board  the  St.  James, 
in  capacity  of  third  lieutenant;  in  this  station  he 
conducted  himself  so  bravely  and  handsomely,  and 
with  such  activity  in  this  engagement,  as  W’ell  as  on 
all  other  occasions,  that  he  not  only  received  the  ap- 
plause of  his  commander,  but  was  by  him  soon  after 
promoted  to  the  first  lieutenancy  of  that  ship  ; and,  at 
subsequent  periods,  Truxtun  took  pleasure  wherever 
opportunities  presented,  in  doing  justice  to  his  merit, 
by  rendering  him  that  applause  to  which  he  was  en- 
titled as  an  officer  and  a man.  This  he  uniformly 
practised  to  all  who,  from  their  deportment  and  vigi- 
lance in  their  profession,  merited  his  notice,  wffiile 
under  his  command.  From  this  voyage  he  returned 
with  the  most  valuable  cargo  brought  into  the  United 
States  during  the  war.  It  would  be  impossible  for 


FRENCH  WAR. 


177 


US,  within  the  limits  of  this  sketch,  to  recount  the 
various  instances  of  activity  and  zeal  displayed  by 
this  gallant  officer,  during  our  struggle  for  independ- 
ence, not  only  at  sea,  but  on  two  remarkable  occasions 
on  the  land.  We  content  ourselves  with  observing, 
that  in  all  his  actions  with  British  vessels  of  war — 
many  of  which  were  of  force  greatly  superior  to  his 
own — he  was,  invariably,  victorious. 

After  the  peace  of  1783,  he  turned  his  attention  to 
commerce ; and  was  concerned  in  an  extensive  trade 
to  Europe,  China,  and  the  East  Indies,  until  the  com- 
mencement of  our  naval  establishment,  in  1794; 
when,  unable  calmly  to  behold  the  rights  of  his  coun- 
try invaded,  he  stepped  forward  at  her  call,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  six  captains  selected  by  President 
Washirgton.  The  frigate  Constellation,  of  thirty-six 
guns,  which  he  was  destined  to  commmand,  he  was 
directed  to  superintend  the  building  of,  at  Baltimore ; 
and  she  was  the  first  one  of  that  armament  at  sea. 

The  quasi  war,  as  it  is  called,  between  this  country 
and  France,  under  the  Directory,  having  commenced. 
Commodore  Truxtun,  with  a squadron  under  his 
command,  was  ordered  to  protect  the  commerce  of 
the  United  States  in  the  West  Indies.  It  was  while 
on  this  service  that  his  brightest  laurels  were  won, 
by  the  capture  of  two  French  frigates,  each  of  supe- 
rior force  to  his  own  ship. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  the  Conste  lation  being 
alone  cruising  on  her  prescribed  ground,  the  Island 
of  Nevis  bearing  W.  S.  W.,  and  distant  five  leagues, 
made  a large  ship  on  the  southern  board.  The 
stranger  being  approached  by  the  Constellation, 
showed  the  American  colors,  when  the  private  signals 
Z 


178  CAPTURE. OF  THE  INSURGENTE. 

were  shown.  The  chase  being  unable  to  answer, 
further  disguise  was  abandoned,  and,  hoisting  the 
French  ensign,  he  fired  a gun  to  windward,  by  way  of 
challenge,  and  gallantly  awaited  the  contest.  This 
being  the  first  time  since  the  revolutionary  war  that 
an  American  ship  had  encountered  an  enemy  in  any 
manner  which  promised  a contest,  the  officers  and  men 
were  eager  for  the  engagement ; and  the  enemy  were 
not  inclined  to  avoid  it.  The  ships  neared,  until  the 
Constellation,  after  having  been  thrice  hailed,  opened 
a fire  upon  her  antagonist.  A fierce  cannonade  en- 
sued, while  the  American  was  drawing  ahead.  She 
suffered  much  in  her  sails  and  rigging,  and  the  fore- 
topmast was  nearly  cut  off*  by  a shot.  This  was,  in 
some  degree,  remedied  by  Mr.  David  Porter,  a mid- 
shipman, who,  being  unable  to  communicate  the  cir- 
cumstance to  others,  himself  cut  the  stoppers  and 
lowered  the  yard,  and  thus  prevented  the  fall  of  the 
mast  with  its  rigging.  In  the  meantime,  their  supe- 
rior gunnery  gave  the  action  a turn  in  favour  of  the 
Americans,  who  were  at  last  enabled  to  decide  the 
contest  by  tw^o  or  three  raking  broadsides,  after  a 
combat  of  an  hour,  when  the  American  wore  round, 
and  would  again  have  raked  her,  with  all  their  guns, 
had  she  not  prudently  struck. 

The  prize  was  the  French  frigate  L’Insurgente — 
one  of  the  fastest  vessels  in  the  world.  She  was 
greatly  damaged,  and  had  lost  in  all  seventy  men. 
The  Constellation  also  was  much  damaged  in  her 
rigging,  but  lost  only  three  men — wounded — one  of 
whom — Mr.  James  M‘Donough — had  his  foot  shot  off*. 

The  Insurgente  carried  forty  guns,  and  four 
Hundred  and  nine  men.  The  American  vessel  car- 


PRIZE  TAKEN  TO  ST.  KITTS.  179 

Tied  thirt}’-eight  guns,  and  three  hundred  and  nine 
men. 

It  was  half-past  three,  in  the  afternoon,  when  the 
Insurgente  struck,  and  Mr.  Rodgers,  the  first  lieute- 
nant of  the  Constellation  was  sent,  together  wdth  Mr. 
Porter  and  eleven  men,  to  take  possession  and  have 
the  prisoners  removed ; but,  ere  this  could  be  efiected, 
the  darkness  and  a rise  of  wind  separated  the  ships. 

The  situation  of  Rodgers,  at  this  period,  was  un- 
pleasant in  the  extreme.  No  handcufifs  were  to  be 
found,  and  the  prisoners  seemed  disposed  to  rebel. 
Fortunately,  Rodgers  was  well  calculated  to  act  with 
decision  in  such  circumstances,  and  Porter  and  the 
men  equally  prompt  in  executing  his  orders.  The 
prisoners  were  sent  into  the  lower  hold,  and  a sentinel 
stationed  at  each  hatchway,  with  orders  to  shoot  any 
one  who  should  attempt  to  come  upon  deck  without 
orders.  Thus  he  was  obliged  to  spend  three  days,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  arrived  at  St.  Kitts,  where 
the  Constellation  had  already  arrived. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1800,  the  Constellation 
came  in  sight  of  a strange  sail,  off  the  coast  of  Gauda- 
loupe.  Thinking  her  to  be  an  English  merchantman, 
Truxtun  hoisted  the  English  flag,  in  order  to  be  hailed 
by  her.  This  was  disregarded,  and  sail  made  in 
pursuit,  when  the  stranger  was  discovered  to  be  a 
French  man  of  war.  The  English  flag  was  lowered, 
and  all  made  ready  for  a desperate  struggle.  The 
enemy’s  ship  was  ascertained  to  carry  fifty-two  guns ; 
but  the  vessel  being  very  deep,  Truxtun  was  not  dis- 
couraged by  her  superior  force,  but  still  gave  chase. 
The  wind  being  light  during  the  afternoon,  it  was  not 
until  evening,  at  eight  o’clock,  that  they  came  within 


180  CONSTELLATION  AND  L’VENGEANCE. 

speaking  distance.  The  ship  then  opened  a fire  upon 
them ; which  was  returned,  and  kept  up  till  near  one 
in  the  morning,  when  the  French  ship  made  all  sail 
to  escape.  Truxtun  ordered  to  give  chase;  but  was 
informed  that  the  mainmast  had  been  nearly  shot 
awa}’^,  and,  as  it  was  found  impossible  to  remedy  it, 
the  chase  was  given  up. 

Soon  after  the  ships  separated,  the  mast  fell,  and 
several  men  were  lost  by  the  accident ; among  them 
Mr.  Jarvis,  a midshipman. 

Mr.  Truxtun,  as  no  port  to  windward  could  be 
reached,  bore  up  for  Jamaica,  where  he  arrived  in 
safety.  His  antagonist,  it  was  ascertained  afterwards, 
arrived  at  Curacoa,  in  a very  disabled  condition,  and 
reported  a loss  of  fifty  killed,  and  one  hundred  and 
ten  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  Constellation  was 
fourteen  killed,  and  twenty-three  wounded,  of  whom 
eleven  died. 

The  Constellation,  at  this  time,  carried  twenty- 
eighteens  on  her  maindeck,  and  the  quarterdeck  was 
supplied  with  ten  twenty-four  pound  carronades. 
She  numbered  three  hundred  and  ten  men.  The 
Vengeance,  the  French  vessel,  carried  twenty-eight 
eighteen s,  sixteen  twelves,  and  eight  forty-two  pound 
carronades.  There  are  • various  statements  of  her 
crew — all  between  four  hundred  and  five  hundred 
men. 

It  is  certain  that,  but  for  the  loss  of  her  mast,  the 
Constellation  would  have  brought  the  prize  into  port; 
indeed,  it  is  reported,  that  the  Vengeance  struck  three 
times,  but  the  Americans  continuing  their  fire,  the 
colours  were  hoisted  again. 

Commodore  Truxtun  was  rewarded  for  this  exploi 


l^RAHY 
Cf  THE 

i.</tn^iTy  CF  ILLINOIS 


DEATH  OF  TRUXTUN.  183 

by  a promotion  to  the  command  of  the  President — 
forty-four  guns;  and  was  also  presented  by  Congress 
with  a gold  medal. 

The  Constellation  was  now  given  to  Captain  Mur- 
ray; and  Commodore  Truxtun,  hoisting  his  broad 
pennant  in  the  President,  made  another  cruise  on  the 
Guadaloupe  station,  where  he  rendered  eminent  ser- 
vice in  the  protection  of  the  American  commerce 
against  French  cruisers,  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

When  the  Tripolitan  war  commenced,  in  1802, 
Commodore  Truxtun  was  ordered  to  take  command 
of  the  Mediterranean  squadron;  and  he  proceeded  to 
Norfolk  for  that  purpose,  when,  finding  that  he  was 
not  to  be  allowed  a captain  in  the  flag  ship,  he  ten- 
dered his  resignation  of  the  command.  As  the  Navy 
Department  chose  to  consider  this  step  a resignation 
of  his  commission,  the  circumstance,  unfortunately 
for  his  country,  led  to  his  retirement  from  public  life. 

After  his  retirement  from  the  navy.  Commodore 
Truxtun  continued  to  reside  in  Philadelphia  to  the 
close  of  his  life.  He  filled  several  important  civil 
offices,  and  won  from  all  classes  of  his  fellow-citizens 
not  less  respect  for  his  private  character,  than  he  had 
previously  enjoyed  for  his  brilliant  public  services 
He  died  in  1822,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven. 

Commodore  Truxtun  was  one  of  the  bravest  offi- 
cers the  American  navy  can  boast.  His  engagement 
with  the  Insurgente,  as  it  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
a prize,  and  was  the  first  action  after  the  navy  was 
re-organized,  has  procured  him  great  celebrity ; but 
the  action  with  the  Vengeance,  being  with  a ship  of 
so  greatly  superior  force,  which  was  fairly  conquered, 
and  only  enabled  to  escape  by  an  accident,  was  justly 


'84 


CHARACTER. 


regarded  by  Congress  as  the  most  deserving  of  a 
public  testimonial  of  honour.  Both  these  actions 
were  of  immense  service,  by  inspiriting  the  officers 
and  men  of  our  marine,  and  bringing  the  navy  once 
more  into  that  high  state  of  popularity  which  it  had 
enjoyed  in  the  tremendou«i  and  glorious  period  of  the 
Revolution. 


X 


JACOB  JONES. 


^ preparing  the  present 
notice  of  Conimodore 
Jones’s  life,  we  have 
been  chiefly  indebted 
to  the  assistance  of  an 
eminent  naval  biogra- 
pher, who  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  serving  as 
an  officer  under  his 
command,  during  the 
whole  of  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain — a war  in 
which  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  one  of  the  most 
listinguished  of  our  commanders. 


2 A 


16* 


185 


186 


EARLY  LIFE. 


Jacob  Jones,  Esq.,  of  the  United  States  navy, 
was  born  about  the  year  1770,  near  the  village  of 
Smyrna,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  State  of  Delaware 
His  father  was  an  independent  and  respectable  farmer, 
of  excellent  moral  and  religious  character.  His 
ihother  was  of  a good  familt/  of  the  name  of  Jones; 
an  amiable  and  interesting  woman ; she  died  when 
the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  yet  an  infant.  Be 
tween* two  and  three  years  afterwards,  his  father  mar- 
ried again,  with  a Miss  Holt,  grandaughter  of  the 
Hon.  Ryves  Holt,  formerly  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Delaware ; or,  as  it  was  then 
denominated,  The  lower  counties  on  Delaware.^^ 
Shortly  after  this  second  marriage  his  father  died, 
when  this  his  only  child  was  scarcely  four  years  of 
age.  It  was  the  good  fortune  of  our  hero  to  be  left 
under  the  care  of  a stepmother,  who  had  all  the  kind 
feelings  of  a natural  parent.  The  affection  which 
this  excellent  woman  had  borne  towards  the  father, 
was,  on  his  death,  transferred  to  the  child.  By  her 
he  was  nurtured  from  infancy  to  manhood,  with  a 
truly  maternal  care  and  tenderness.  At  an  early  age 
he  was  placed  at  school,  and  his  proficiency  in  learn- 
ing was  equal  to  her  most  anxious  wishes.  After 
becoming  well  acquainted  with  the  general  branches 
of  an  English  education,  he  was  tranferred  to  a gram- 
mar school,  at  Lewes,  in  Sussex  county,  conducted 
by  the  learned  and  pious  Dr.  Matthew  Wilson. 
Under  his  direction  he  read  the  classics  with  much 
assiduity,  and  became  well  acquainted  with  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages.  The  writer  of  this  memoir 
distinctly  remembers  also,  that  in  the  geographical 
lessors  he  continually  bore  off  the  palm,  and  received, 


ABANDONS  THE  MEDICAL  PRO.’SSSION.  187 

beyond  all  others,  repeated  proofs  of  approbation 
from  his  preceptor.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  left 
Lewes  Academy,  and  entered  on  the  study  of  physic 
and  surgery,  under  Dr.  Sykes,  an  eminent  physician 
and  surgeon  of  Dover,  in  the  county  of  Kent.  With 
him  he  diligently  prosecuted  his  studies  for  four 
years,  after  which  he  attended  the  usual  course  ot 
medical  lectures  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  then  returned  to  Dover  to  commence  the  exer- 
cise of  his  profession. 

He  did  not,  however,  continue  long  in  the  practice. 
He  found  the  field  already  engrossed  by  a number  of 
able  and  experienced  gentlemen  of  the  faculty,  among 
whom  was  the  late  lamented  Dr.  Miller,  of  New 
York.  Discouraged  by  the  scanty  employment  that 
is  commonly  the  lot  of  the  young  physician,  and  im- 
patient of  an  inactive  life,  he  determined  to  abandon 
the  profession  for  the  present,  and  seek  some  more 
pToductive  occupation.  This  resolution  was  a matter 
of  much  regret  among  the  elder  physicians.  They 
entertained  a high  opinion  of  his  medical  acquire- 
ments, and  considered  him  as  promising  to  become 
a distir. guished  and  skilful  member  of  their  body. 
Governor  Clayton,  (who  was  himself  an  eminent  phy-  » 
sician,)  seeing  that  he  was  fixed  in  his  determination, 
conferred  upon  him  the  clerkship  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  for  the  county  of 
Kent. 

In  this  office  he  continued  for  some  time,  but  the 
sedentary  nature  of  its  duties  was  uncongenial  with 
his  health  and  habits ; he  longed  to  mingle  in  more 
active  scenes,  and  possessed  that  ardent  spirit  of 
enterprise  that  can  never  rest  contented  with  the 


188 


ENTERS  THE  N ^YY. 


tranquil  ease  of  common  life.  With  a certain  bravery 
of  resolution,  therefore,  or,  rather  a noble  unconcern, 
he  turned  his  back  upon  the  comforts  and  emoluments 
of  office ; and  resolved  upon  a measure,  as  indicative 
of  the  force  of  his  character,  as  it  was  decisive  of  his 
future  fortunes.  This  w2,s  to  enter  as  midshipman 
into  the  service  of  his  country,  in  the  year  1779,  when 
menaced  with  a French  war. 

He  was  at  this  time  almost  twenty-nine  years  of 
age,  highly  respected  for  the  solidity  of  his  under- 
standing and  his  varied  acquirements  ; it  may  readily 
be  imagined,  therefore,  how  greatly  his  friends  w^ere 
dissatisfied  at  seeing  him  in  a manner  taking  a retro- 
grade step  in  life,  entering  upon  that  tedious  pro- 
bation which  the  naval  service  peculiarly  requires, 
and  accepting  a grade  which  is  generally  allotted  to 
boys  and  striplings.  It  w^as  in  vain,  however,  to  re- 
monstrate against  a resolution,  which,  once  formed, 
never  vibrated.  Jones  had  determined  on  embracing 
the  profession ; he  had  weighed  all  the  peculiar  in- 
conveniences and  sacrifices  incident  to  his  determi- 
nation, and  had  made  up  his  mind  to  encounter  and 
surmount  them  all.  His  friends  could  only  console 
themselves  with  the  reflection,  that,  if  courage,  activity 
and  hardihood  could  ensure  naval  success,  Jones  was 
peculiarly  fitted  for  the  life  he  had  adopted ; and  it  is 
probable  they  felt  some  degree  of  admiration  for  that 
decision  of  character,  wffiich,  in  the  pursuit  of  what 
he  conceived  a laudable  object,  could  enable  him  to 
make  such  large  sacrifices  of  personal  pride  and  con- 
venience. 

The  first  cruises  which  he  made  in  his  new  capacity 
were  under  the  father  of  our  infant  navy,  the  late 


PRISONER  IN  TRIPOLI. 


189 


Commodore  Barry,  from  whom  he  derived  great  in- 
struction in  the  theory  and  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  experienced  the  utmost  kindness  and  civility. 
He  was  a midshipman  on  board  the  frigate  United 
States,  when  she  bore  to  France  Chief  Justice  Ells- 
worth and  General  Davie,  as  envoys  extraordinary 
to  the  French  Republic.  He  was  next  on  board  of 
the  Ganges  as  midshipman,  and,  during  the  whole 
intervening  period  between  his  appointment  and  the 
war  with  Tripoli,  he  was  sedulously  employed  in  ob- 
taining that  nautical  skill  for  which  he  at  present  is 
celebrated. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  with  Tripoli,  he 
was  stationed  on  board  of  the  frigate  Philadelphia, 
under  the  command  of  the  gallant  Bainbridge.  The 
disaster  which  befell  that  ship  and  her  crew  before 
Tripoli,  forms  a solemn  page  in  our  naval  history; 
atoned  for,  however,  by  the  brilliant  achievements  to 
which  it  gave  rise.  Twenty  months  of  severe  cap- 
tivity among  a barbarous  people,  and  in  a noxious 
climate,  neither  broke  the  spirit  nor  impaired  the 
constitution  of  our  hero.  Blest  by  nature  with  vigor- 
ous health  and  an  invincible  resolution,  when  relieved 
from  bondage  by  the  bravery  of  his  countrymen,  he 
returned  home  full  of  life  and  ardour.  He  was  soon 
after  promoted  to  a lieutenancy.  This  grade  he  had 
merited  before  his  confinement  in  Tripoli,  but  older 
warrant  officers  had  stood  in  the  way  of  his  prefer- 
ment. 

He  was  now  for  some  time  employed  on  the  Or- 
leans station,  where  he  conducted  himself  with  his 
usual  judgment  and  propriety,  and  was  a favourite 
In  the  polite  circles  of  the  Orleans  and  Mississippi 


190  COMMANDS  THE  WASP. 

territories.  He  was  shortly  after  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  brig  Argus,  stationed  for  the  pro- 
tection of  our  commerce  on  the  southern  maritime 
frontier.  In  this  situation  he  acted  with  vigilance 
and  fidelity,  and  though  there  were  at  one  time  in- 
sidious suggestions  to  the  contrary,  it  has  appeared 
that  he  conformed  t^  his  instructions,  promoted  the 
public  interest,  and  gave  entire  satisfaction  to  the 
government. 

In  1811,  Captain  Jones  was  transferred  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  the  command  of  the  sloop 
of  war  the  Wasp,  mounting  eighteen  twenty-four 
pound  carronades,  and  was  despatched,  in  the  spring 
of  1812,  with  communications  from  our  government 
to  its  functionaries  at  the  courts  of  St.  Cloud  and  St. 
James.  Before  he  returned  from  this  voyage,  war 
had  been  declared  by  the  United  States  against  Great 
Britain.  Captain  Jones  refitted  his  ship  with  all 
possible  despatch,  and  repaired  to  sea  on  a cruise,  in 
which  he  met  with  no  other  luck  than  the  capture  of 
an  inconsiderable  prize. 

He  sailed  from  the  port  of  Philadelphia  on  the  13th, 
of  October,  1812,  with  a gallant  set  of  officers,  and  a 
high  spirited  and  confident  crew.  On  the  18th  of  the 
same  month  the  W asp  encountered  a heavy  gale,  during 
which  she  lost  her  jibboom  and  two  valuable  seamen. 
On  the  following  night,  being  a bright  moonlight,  a 
seaman  on  the  look  out  discovered  five  strange  sail, 
steering  eastward.  The  Wasp  hauled  to  the  wind- 
ward and  closely  watched  the  movements  of  these 
vessels  until  daylight  next  morning,  being  the  18th, 
when  it  was  found  that  they  were  six  lage  merchant 
vessels  under  convoy  of  a sloop  of  war.  The 


ACTION  WITH  THE  FROLIC.  191 

former  were  well  manned  twc  of  them  mounting  six- 
teen guns  each.  Notwithstanding  the  apparent  dis- 
parity of  force,  Captain  Jones  determined  to  hazard 
an  attack ; and  as  the  weather  was  boisterous,  and 
the  swell  of  the  sea  unusually  high,  he  ordered  down 
top-gallant  yards,  closely  reefed  the  top  sails,  and  pre- 
pared for  action.  The  convoy  sailed  ahead  and  lay 
to  five  or  six  miles  distant,  while  the  sloop  of  war 
with  Spanish  colours  flying,  remained  under  easy  sail 
the  Wasp  coming  down  to  windward  on  her  larboard 
side,  within  pistol  shot  displaying  the  American  ensign 
and  pendant.  Upon  the  enemy’s  being  hailed,  he 
hauled  down  the  Spanish  flag,  hoisted  the  British  en- 
sign, and  opened  a broadside  of  cannon  and  musketry. 
The  fire  was  promptly  returned  by  the  Wasp,  the 
vessels  gradually  neared  each  other,  and  each  main- 
tained the  combat  with  great  animation  the  English 
vessel  firing  with  most  rapidity,  but,  as  the  result 
proved,  with  no  great  precision.  In  a few  minutes 
after  the  commencement  of  the  action,  the  main-top- 
mast of  the  Wasp  was  shot  away,  and  falling  on  the 
topsail  yard,  across  the  larboard  fore  and  foretop-sail 
braces,  caused  the  head  yards  to  be  unmanageable 
during  the  continuance  of  the  action.  In  two  or 
three  minutes  more  the  gaft  and  mizzen  top-gallant 
sail  were  shot  away.  Each  vessel  continued  in  the 
position  in  which  the  action  commenced,  and  main- 
tained a close  and  spirited  fire.  Captain  Jones  di- 
rected his  officers  not  to  fire  except  when  the  vessel 
rolled  downwards,  so  that  the  shot  was  either  poured 
on  the  enemy’s  deck,  or  below  it,  while  the  English 
fired  as  soon  as  they  had  loaded,  without  regard  to 
the  position  of  their  vessel,  and  thus  their  balls  were 


192  ACTION  WITH  THE  FROLIC. 

either  thrown  away  or  passed  through  the  rigging. 
The  Wasp  now  passed  ahead  of  the  enemy,  raked 
her,  and  resumed  her  original  position.  It  was  now 
obvious  that  the  Wasp  had  greatly  the  advantage  in 
the  combat,  and  Captain  Jones  thought  the  contest 
might  be  speedily  directed  by  boarding,  but  hesitated 
because  the  roughness  of  the  sea  might  endanger  the 
safety  of  both  vessels  if  brought  in  contact  As, 
however,  the  braces  and  rigging  of  the  Wasp  was  so 
injured  by  the  shot  of  the  enemy  that  he  was  fearful 
his  masts  being  unsupported,  would  go  by  the  board, 
and  that  the  enemy  might  escape.  He,  therefore,  de- 
termined at  all  hazards  to  board  and  thus  decide  the 
contest.  With  this  determination  he  wore  ship,  run 
athwart  the  enemy’s  bow,  so  that  the  jibboo'^. 
came  in  between  the  main  and  mizzen  rigging  ot 
Wasp.  The  enemy  being  in  a position  so  invib  / 
for  a raking  broadside  that  one  was  promptly  orderec 
So  closely  in  contact  were  the  contending  vessels 
that  while  loading,  the  rammers  of  the  Wasp  struck 
against  the  sides  of  the  opposing  vessel,  so  that  two 
of  the  guns  of  the  former  entered  through  the  .bow  of 
ports  of  the  latter  and  swept  the  whole  length  of  the 
deck.  At  this  juncture  a sprightly  and  gallant  seaman, 
named  Jack  Lang,  who  had  once  been  impressed  on 
board  a British  man  of  war,  jumped  on  a gun  with  his 
cutlass,  and  was  about  to  leap  on  board  the  enemy, 
when  Captain  Jones  ordered  him  back,  wishing  to  give 
a closing  broadside  before  boarding.  His  impetuosity, 
however,  could  not  be  restrained,  and  observing  the 
ardour  of  the  crew  generally.  Lieutenant  Biddle  and 
Booth  gallantly  led  them  on,  but  to  their  great  sur- 
prise when  they  reached  the  enemy’s  deck  not  a single 


The  Wasp  and  Frolic. 


OF  THE 

Ui;JVCr’3(TY  OF  illh^cis 


"‘r:4 
■ \ 

"\yc 

^ ’ :■  V '■'  ■' 

■ ^ ^ V/-'. •,...,.  . 


i 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  FROLIC.  195 

uninjured  individual  was  found  on  deck  except  the 
seaman  at  the  wheel,  and  three  officers.  The  deck 
was  covered  with  the  dying  and  dun  i,  and  was 
slippery  with  blood.  When  Lieutenant  Biddle 
reached  the  quarterdeck,  the  commander  and  two 
other  officers,  threw  down  their  swords,  and  made 
an  inclination  of  their  bodies,  thus  affording  evidence 
that  they  had  surrendered. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  action  the  ensign  of 
the  enemy  had  been  shot  down,  upon  which  a British 
seaman  carried  it  aloft  again  and  nailed  it  to  the  mast. 
In  this  state  it  continued  floating,  they  not  being  able 
to  lower  it  until  one  of  the  United  States  officers  as- 
cended the  rigging  and  tore  it  from  its  attachments. 
In  forty-three  minutes  from  the  commencement  of  the 
action,  full  possession  was  taken  of  the  enemy,  which 
proved  to  be  his  Brittanic  Majesty’s  sloop  of  war 
Frolic,  commanded  by  Captain  Whynyates. 

On  examining  the  birthdeck,  it  was  found  crowded 
wdth  the  dead  and  wounded,  there  being  but  an 
inconsiderable  proportion  of  the  crew  of  the  Frolic 
which  had  escaped  unhurt.  Soon  after  Lieutenant 
Biddle  took  possession  of  the  enemy,  her  masts  fell 
by  the  board,  so  that  she  lay  a complete  wreck.  The 
contest  being  now  terminated.  Captain  Jones  ordered 
Dr.  New,  the  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Wasp,  to  visit 
the  wounded  enemy,  and  to  carry  with  him  every 
thing  on  board,  which  could  in  any  manner  contribute 
to  their  comfort. 

The  force  of  the  Frolic  consisted  of  sixteen  thirty- 
two  pound  carronades,  four  twelve  pounders  on  the 
maindeck,  and  two  twelve  pound  carronades.  She 


196 


FORCE  AND  LOSS. 


was,  therefore,  superior  to  the  Wasp,  by  four  twelve 
pounders  The  officers  of  the  Frolic  stated  that  the 
number  of  men  on  the  ship’s  books  was  one  hundred 
and  ten ; but,  as  boats  were  seen  plying  between  the 
Frolic  and  some  of  the  convoy,  in  the  morning,  be- 
fore the  action,  it  was  believed  that  she  received 
many  volunteers  in  addition  to  her  regular  crew. 
This  belief  was  strengthened  by  the  circumstance, 
that  one  of  the  vessels  in  the  convoy,  came  alongside 
the  Wasp  next  morning  after  her  capture,  and  asked 
assistance  to  reef  his  sails,  as  he  had  but  two  men 
and  a boy  on  board.  It  was  intimated  that  he  had 
thus  diminished  his  crew  by  allowing  volunteers  to 
go  on  board  the  Frolic. 

The  officers,  seamen,  marines,  and  boys  on  board 
the  Wasp,  numbered  one  hundred  and  thirty-five; 
wffiich,  from  the  best  information  which  could  be  ob- 
tained, was  less  in  number  than  that  of  the  enemy. 
Both  vessels,  however,  had  more  men  than  was  es- 
sential to  their  efficiency;  and  the  officers  of  the  Frolic 
candidly  acknowledged,  that  they  had  more  men  than 
they  knew  what  to  do  with.  It  apppears,  therefore, 
that  while  there  was  an  equality  of  strength  in  the 
crews,  there  was  an  inequality  in  the  number  of  guns 
and  weight  of  metal — the  Frolic  having  four  twelve 
pounders  more  than  the  Wasp. 

The  exact  number  of  killed  and  wounded  on  board 
the  Frolic  could  not  be  ascertained  with  any  degree 
of  precision ; but,  from  the  admissions  of  the  British 
officers,  it  was  supposed  that  the  number  killed  was 
about  thirty,  including  two  officers  ; and  of  those 
wounded,  between  forty  and  fifty.  The  captain  and 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  WASP. 


197 


every  other  officer  on  board  were  more  dy  less 
severely  wounded.  The  Wasp  sustained  a loss  of 
only  five  men  killed,  and  five  wounded. 

A busy  scene  now  ensued,  in  disposing  of  the  dead, 
taking  care  of  the  wounded,  and  repairing  the  damages 
which  the  Wasp  sustained  during  the  conflict.  Lieu- 
tenant Biddle,  with  a portion  of  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Wasp  were  similarly  engaged  on  board  the 
Frolic.  While  engaged  in  erecting  jurymasts  on 
board  the  latter  vessel,  a suspicious  sail  was  seen  to 
windward,  upon  which  Captain  Jones  directed  Lieu- 
tenant Biddle  to  shape  her  course  for  Charleston,  or 
any  other  southern  port  of  the  United,  while  the 
Wasp  would  continue  her  cruise. 

The  strange  sail  coming  down  rapidly,  both  vessels 
prepared  for  action,  but  soon  discovered,  to  the  mor- 
tification of  the  victors  of  this  well  fought  action,  that 
the  new  enemy  was  a seventy-four,  which  proved  to 
be  the  Poictiers,  commanded  by  Commodore  Beres- 
ford.  Firing  a shot  over  the  Frolic,  passed  her,  and 
soon  overhauled  the  Wasp,  which,  in  her  crippled 
state,  was  unable  to  escape.  Both  vessels  were  thus 
captured^  and  carried  into  Bermuda.  Captain  Jones 
and  his  officers  were  placed  on  parole  of  honour  at 
St.  George^s,  Bermuda,  and  were  treated  there  with 
great  courtesy,  particularly  by  the  officers  of  the 
ninety-eighth  and  one  hundred  and  second  regiments 
of  British  infantry.  Dinners,  balls,  and  other  acts 
of  civility  were  tendered  with  a cordiality  of  manner 
which  made  our  officers  almost  forget  their  mis- 
fortunes. 

After  remaining  in  St.  George’s  a few  weeks,  a 
cartel  was  prepared  by  which  the  officers  and  crew 

17# 


IDS  HONOURS  CONFERRED  ON  CAPT.  JONES. 

of  the  Wasp  were  conveyed  to  New  York.  On  the 
return  of  Captain  Jones  to  the  United  States,  he  was 
every  where  received  with  demonstrations  of  the 
highest  respect  and  admiration  for  the  skill  and  gal- 
lantry which  he  displayed  in  his  combat  with  the 
enemy.  In  his  journey  to  Washington,  whither  he 
was  ordered  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
he  received  brilliant  entertainments  in  the  cities 
through  which  he  passed. 

The  legislature  of  Delaware — his  native  state — 
gave  to  him  a vote  of  thanks,  and  an  elegant  piece  of 
plate,  with  appropriate  engravings.  On  niotion  of 
James  A.  Bayard,  of  Delaware,  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  appropriated  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars, as  a compensation  to  Captain  Jones,  his  officers, 
and  crew,  for  the  loss  they  sustained  by  the  recapture 
of  the  Frolic.  They  also  voted  a gold  medal  to 
Captain  Jones,  and  a silver  medal  to  each  of  his 
commissioned  officers.  The  plate  accompanying  this 
memoir  is  a fac  similie,  ruled  from  the  medal. 

Asa  farther  evidence  of  the  confidence  of  govern- 
ment, Captain  Jones  was  ordered  to  take  command 
of  the  frigate  i\Iacedonian,‘ a vessel  recently  captured 
from  the  British  by  the  gallant  Decatur.  She  was 
rapidly  fitted  out  under  his  direction  in  the  harbour  of 
New  A^ork,  and  was  destined  to  be  one  of  Decatur’s 
squadron,  and  which  was  about  to  sail  on  another 
cruise 

In  May  1811,  the  squadron  attempted  to  put  to 
sea,  but,  in  sailing  up  Long  Island  Sound,  encountered 
a large  British  squadron,  which  obliged  the  United 
States’  vessels  to  retreat  into  the  harbour  of  New 
Londo*'!.  In  this  situation  the  enemy  ccutinued  an 


LAKE  SERVICE. 


199 


uninterrupted  blockade  during  the  war.  Finding  it 
impossible  to  avoid  the  vigilance  of  Sir  Thomas 
Hardy,  who  commanded  the  blockading  squadron, 
the  government  ordered  Captain  Jones  to  proceed 
with  his  officers  and  crew  to  Sacketf  s harbour,  and 
report  to  Commodore  Chauncey,  as  commander  of 
the  frigate  Mohawk,  destined  to  cruise  as  one  of 
the  squadron  on  lake  Ontario.  The  United  States 
squadron  maintained  an  ascendency,  and  continued 
to  cruise  until  October,  when  the  British  squadron, 
under  the  command  of  Sir  James  Yeo,  left  Kingston 
harbour  with  a greatly  superior  force,  which  obliged 
the  United  States  squadron  to  return  to  Sackett^s 
harbour.  It  seemed,  indeed,  that  the  contest  now 
depended  on  the  exertions  of  the  ship  carpenters. 
Two  line  of  battle  ships  were  placed  on  the  stocks, 
and  were  advancing  rapidly  to  completion,  when,  in 
February  1815,  the  news  of  peace  arrived,  with  orders 
to  suspend  further  operations  on  these  vessels. 

A few  weeks  after  peace  was  announced.  Captain 
Jones  with  his  officers  and  crew  was  ordered  to 
repair  forthwith  to  the  the  seaboard,  and  again  to 
take  command  of  the  frigate  Macedonian,  which  was 
directed  to  form  part  of  the  squadron  destined  to 
cruize  against  the  Algerine  men  of  war,  then  depre- 
dating on  our  commerce  in  the  Mediterranean.  So 
soon  as  the  Algerine  Regency  was  informed  that  war 
existed  between  the  United  States,  and  Great  Britain, 
the  Dey  sent  out  his  crusiers  to  capture  all  American 
merchant  vessels.  To  punish  these  faithless  free- 
booters, and  to  redress  the  wrongs  of  our  merchants, 
a squadro  1 consisting  of  nine  or  ten  vessels  was 


200  THE  ALGERINES  CHASTISED. 

fitted  out  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Commo- 
dore Decatur. 

This  armament  sailed  from  New  York  in  May 
1815,  and  when  off  Cadiz,  was  informed  that  the 
Algerine  force  w^as  cruising  along  the  southern  coast 
of  Spain. 

Two  days  after  reaching  the  Mediterranean  the 
United  States  squadron  fell  in  with  and  captured  the 
Algerine  frigate  Messuado  mounting  forty-six  guns, 
and  the  next  day  captured  a large  brig  of  war  both 
of  which  were  carried  into  the  port  of  Carthagena,  in 
Spain. 

The  American  squadron  then  proceeded  to  the 
bay  of  Algiers,  the  sudden  and  unexpected  appearance 
of  which  excited  no  slight  degree  of  surprise  and 
alarm  in  the  Regency.  When  the  Dey  learned  that 
his  admiral  had  been  killed,  and  his  two  principal 
vessels  of  war  had  been  captured,  his  alarm  became 
greatly  augmented.  With  mingled  feelings  of  trepi- 
dation and  rage,  he  sent  for  the  British  consul,  and 
reproached  him  with  practising  a deception  on  him. 
“You  told  me,”  he  remarked,  “that  in  a few  months 
after  the  declaration  of  war,  the  British  fleets  would 
sweep  from  the  ocean,  every  vessel  belonging  to  the 
United  States.  Now,  peace  is  restored,  and,  so  far 
from  your  declaration  proving  true,  here  is  a large 
squadron,  augmented  in  size  by  three  vessels  captured 
from  your  owm  boasting  nation.” 

The  captured  vessels  to  which  the  Dey  alluded, 
consisted  of  the  frigates  Guerriere,  Macedonian,  and 
brig  of  w^ar  Epervier,  which  then  actually  formed  a 
part  of  Decatur’s  squadron.  Under  these  feelings 


IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  201 

the  Dey  reluctantly  yielded  to  every  demand  which 
was  made  on  him ; which  was  to  restore  the  value  of 
the  property  belonging  to  American  merchants  which 
he  had  seized,  to  release  all  prisoners  which  he  had 
captured,  to  relinquish  forever  all  claims  on  the  an- 
nual tribute  which  he  had  hitherto  received. 

After  having  thus  successfully  termined  the  war 
with  Algiers,  and  formed  an  advantageous  treaty,  the 
squadron  proceeded  to  the  other  Barbary  capitals, 
and  there  adjusted  some  minor  difficulties,  which, 
however,  were  of  some  importance  to  American 
merchants.  After  touching  at  several  of  the  islands 
in  the  Mediterranean,  at  Naples,  and  at  Malaga,  in 
Spain,  the  squadron  reached  Gibraltar  towards  the 
last  of  October.  After  remaining  at  this  port  a few 
days,  and  exchanging  civilities  with  the  military 
authorities  of  the  station,  the  squadron  returned  to 
the  United  States,  early  in  December. 

From  this  period  to  the  present,  no  event  of  stir- 
ring importance  has  distinguished  the  career  of 
Commodore  Jones.  He  has  been,  however,  almost 
constantly  employed  in  various  responsible  positions, 
thus  evincing  the  perfect  confidence  which  his  govern- 
ment placed  in  his  talents  and  discretion. 

In  1821,  he  took  command  of  a squadron,  in  which 
he  continued  for  three  years,  for  the  protection  of 
our  commerce  in  the  Mediterranean.  On  his  return 
he  was  offered  a seat  in  the  Board  of  Navy  Commis- 
sioners, but,  finding  his  bureau  duties  rather  irksome 
to  him,  he  accepted,  in  the  year  1826,  the  command 
of  a squadron  destined  for  the  protection  of  the 
American  commerce  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  which  also 
continued  for  a period  of  three  years.  On  his  return 
2C 


202 


CHARACTER. 


from  the  Pacific  ocean,  he  was  ordered  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  Baltimore  station,  where  he  continued 
with  the  exception  of  a short  interval,  until  transfer- 
red to  his  present  position  as  port  captain  of  the 
harbour  of  New  York. 

Either  on  shore  or  afloat,  his  commands  were  dis- 
tinguished as  well  for  efficiency,  as  for  the  harmony 
which  always  prevailed  among  his  officers.  His 
calm  dignity,  high  sense  of  justice,  and  gentlemanlike 
bearing,  inspired  universal  respect. 

Cheerful  and  fond  of  social  life,  he  took  great 
pleasure  in  having  his  officers  around  him,  yet  none 
of  them  ever  felt  disposed  to  take  a liberty  with  him. 

Commodore  Jones  has  had  always  a repugnance 
to  writing,  yet  there  are  but  few  gentlemen  in  any 
walk  in  life,  more  intimately  acquainted  with  general 
literature.  Choice  in  his  language — a vigorous  and 
original  thinker,  his  conversation  is  always  instructive 
and  interesting. 


JAMES  LAWRENCE. 

E A T H,  which  so  often 
removes  from  the  scenes 
of  their  glory  the  young 
and  heroic,  has  never 
triumphed  over  a victim 
more  beloved  and  lament- 
ed by  the  nation  he  served 
than  the  subject  of  this 
memoir.  His  career  was 
marked  by  a series  of  brilliant  actions  which  had 
attracted  the  highest  confidence  and  hope  in  his 
compatriots,  and  his  untimely  loss  was  mourned  as  a 
national  calamity. 


203 


204  LAWRENCE’S  EARLY  LIFE. 

Captain  James  Lawrence  was  born  on  the  1st 
of  October,  1781,  at  Burlington,  in  New  Jersey,  and 
was  the  youngest  son  of  John  Lawrence,  Esq.,  coun- 
sellor at  law  of  that  place.  Soon  after  his  birth  he 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  mother,  and  the  care 
of  his  early  years  devolved  on  his  two  sisters,  who 
seem  to  have  cultivated  the  moral  qualities  of  his 
heart  with  singular  success. 

At  the  age  of  twelve,  he  evinced  a strong  partiality 
for  the  sea ; but  his  father  disapproving  of  that  plan 
of  life,  and  wishing  him  to  pursue  the  profession  of 
law,  young  Lawrence  acquiesced,  and  passed  with 
reputation  through  the  grammar  school  at  Burlington, 
when,  finding  that  the  pecuniary  situation  of  his  father 
would  not  furnish  him  with  the  means  of  completing 
his  education  at  any  college  or  university,  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  with  his  brother,  the  late 
John  Lawrence,  Esq.,  at  Woodbury.  He  was  now 
only  thirteen  years  of  age,  a period  of  life  when  the 
grave  pursuits  of  jurisprudence  can  scarcely  be  pre- 
sumed to  have  many  attractions  for  a young  and 
ardent  fancy,  already  inflamed  with  the  love  of  wan- 
dering. He  continued,  however,  a reluctant  student 
for  about  two  years,  when  the  death  of  his  father 
leaving  him  more  at  liberty  to  pursue  his  favourite 
inclination,  he  prevailed  on  his  brother  to  place  him 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Griscomb,  at  Burlington,  for 
the  purpose  of  studying  navigation.  He  here  re- 
mained for  three  months,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time,  on  application  to  the  Navy  Department,  he 
received  a warrant  as  midshipman,  on  the  4th  of 
September,  1798. 

His  first  voyage  was  in  the  ship  Ganges,  Captain 


LAWRENCE  WITH  DECATUR  AT  TRIPOLI.  205 

Tingey,  on  a cruise  to  the  West  Indies.  He  after- 
wards sailed  in  different  vessels  for  upwards  of  two 
years,  and  was  then  made  an  acting  lieutenant  on 
board  the  frigate  Adams,  Captain  Robinson,  where 
he  continued  till  the  reduction  of  the  navy ; in  conse- 
quence of  which  his  appointment  was  not  confirmed, 
and  he  remained  in  the  rank  of  midshipman. 

On  the  commencement  of  the  war  with  Tripoli,  in 
1801,  he  was  promoted  to  a lieutenancy,  and  sailed  to 
the  Mediterranean  as  first  lieutenant  of  the  schooner 
Enterprise,  in  1803. 

While  in  this  situation,  he  bore  a conspicuous  part 
in  an  adventure  of  singular  boldness,  the  destruction 
of  the  frigate  Philadelphia.  As  we  have  referred  to 
this  affair  (in  which  he  was  Decatur’s  second  in  com- 
mand,) in  the  Life  of  Commodore  Preble,  and  shall 
give  a particular  account  of  it,  with  an  engraving,  in 
the  Life  of  Commodore  Decatur,  we  pass  it  over 
here,  remarking  only,  that  when  Decatur  was  pro- 
moted for  his  conduct  on  this  occasion,  Lawrence 
and  the  other  officers  and  crew  were  voted  two 
months’  extra  pay,  which  he  declined  receiving. 

During  the  same  year,  when  Commodore  Preble 
bombarded  the  town  of  Tripoli,  the  Enterprise,  with 
the  other  ships  of  the  squadron,  w’ere  employed  'to 
cover  the  boats  during  the  attack.  On  this  occasion. 
Lieutenant  Lawrence  had  the  temporary  command 
of  the  Enterprise,  and  performed  his  service  in  so 
gallant  and  seaman-like  a manner,  as  to  receive  the 
thanks  of  Commodore  Preble. 

From  the  Enterprise,  he  was  transferred  to  the 
frigate  John  Adams,  as  first  Lieutenant;  and,  after 

remaining  in  the  Mediterranean  about  three  years, 

18 


206 


HAZARDOUS  VOYAGE* 


he  returned  with  Commodore  Preble  to  the  United 
States. 

Soon  after,  he  was  again  sent  to  the  Mediterranean 
as  commander  of  gunboat  No.  6.  These  vessels 
were  originally  destined  to  serve  merely  along  the 
American  coast,  and,  however  qualified  for  harbour  or 
river  defence,  were  deemed  exceedingly  insecure  in 
crossing  the  Atlantic.  Being  very  small,  with  a dis- 
proportionably  large  gun,  and  necessarily  laden  very 
deeply,  they  laboured  under  every  disadvantage  in 
encountering  heavy  gales.  So  decided  were  the 
opinions  of  the  naval  officers  against  them^  that  no 
one  would,  perhaps,  have  been  willing  to  risk  his  life 
in  them  on  such  a \ >yage,  for  any  motive  of  private 
advantage,  or  from  any  consideration,  except  the 
performance  of  his  duty.  “ Lawrence  has  told  me,’^ 
writes  one  of  his  brother  officers,  “that  when  he  went 
on  board  the  gunboat,  he  had  not  the  faintest  idea 
that  he  would  ever  arrive  out  to  the  Mediterranean 
in  her,  or,  indeed,  arrive  any  where  else.  He  has 
also  told  me,  that  on  the  coast  of  Europe  he  met  an 
English  frigate,  the  captain  of  which  would  not  at 
first  believe  that  he  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  such 
a vessel.’^  He  did  not,  however,  go  with  less  alacrity, 
and  he  unexpectedly  arrived  safely  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, where  he  remained  about  sixteen  months. 

On  his  return  from  the  Mediterranean,  after  the 
peace  with  Tripoli,  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant 
of  the  frigate  Constitution,  and  afterwards  commanded 
the  schooner  Vixen,  the  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  the  brig 
Argus,  and  the  ship  Hornet,  with  the  rank  of  master 
and  commander,  and  was  twice  sent  to  Europe  with 
despatches  to  our  ministers.  In  the  year  1808,  he 


WAR  OF  1812. 


207 


married  a daughter  of  Mr.  Montaudevert,  a respect- 
able merchant  of  New  York. 

The  declaration  of  war  against  Great  Britain,  in 
June  1812,  gave  a new  impulse,  or  rather  a new  ex- 
istence to  the  navy.  Lawrence  was  at  that  time  in 
New  York,  in  command  of  the  Hornet,  and,  in  a few 
days,  sailed  with  a squadron,  consisting  of  the  United 
States,  Congress,  and  Argus,  under  the  command  of 
Commodore  Rogers,  in  the  President.  Their  object 
w^as  to  intercept  the  Jamaica  fleet.  After  being  de- 
tained for  a day  by  the  pursuit  of  the  British  frigate 
Belvidere,  which  ended  in  the  escape  of  the  latter, 
owing  to  her  having  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  the 
squadron  followed  the  fleet  with  the  utmost  alacrity, 
as  well  as  the  imperfect  information  of  the  vessels 
they  met  would  permit,  till  the  13th  of  July,  when 
they  reached  within  eighteen  or  twenty  hours’  sail  of 
the  English  channel.  Disappointed  in  this  chase,  they 
ran  now  down  near  the  Azores,  thence  back  by  the 
banks  of  Newfoundland  to  Boston,  where  they  arrived 
on  the  31st  of  August.  Although  this  cruise  was 
marked  by  no  bold  or  prominent  success,  and  al- 
though the  squadron  made  only  seven  captures  and  a 
single  recapture,  yet  the  failure  is  attributable  to  for- 
tune only.  At  a moment  when  the  British  navy, 
with  its  boasted  ubiquity  covered  the  ocean,  this  little 
band  of  adventurers  sought  their  enemies  in  every 
quarter,  dared  them  on  their  own  coast,  and,  after 
carrying  alarm  through  the  mercantile  classes  of 
England,  returned,  unmolested,  and  not  victorious, 
only  because  the  single  enemy  they  encountered 
sought  safety  in  flight. 

The  day  before  the  squadron  entered  Boston, 


208  REMONSTRANCE  TO  THE  SECRETARY. 

Captain  Hull  arrived  after  the  capture  of  the  Guer- 
riere,  and  soon  afterwards,  the  Government,  yielding 
too  far  to  the  universal  and  natural  enthusiasm  ex- 
cited by  this  gallant  action,  promoted  Lieutenant 
Morris,  the  first  officer  of  the  Constitution,  to  the 
rank  of  captain.  As  this  appointment,  how^ever, 
advanced  him  two  grades  at  once,  contrary  to  the 
ordinary  rules  of  promotion,  and  thus  placed  him 
above  all  the  masters  and  commanders  in  the  navy,  it 
occasioned  much  dissatisfaction  among  them.  Captain 
Lawrence  felt  himself  peculiarly  injured  by  it;  inas- 
much as  he  found  himself  thus  suddenly  outranked 
by  one  so  much  his  junior.  He,  therefore,  addressed 
a letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  which,  after 
rendering  the  most  ample  justice  to  the  merits  of 
Lieutenant  Morris,  he  remonstrated  in  mild  and  firm, 
but  respectful  language,  against  so  unprecedented  a 
nromotion,  by  which  he  would  be  forced  to  leave  the 
navy.  In  reply  to  this  fair  and  manly  letter,  he  re- 
ceived from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  a short  and 
contemptuous  answer,  merely  acknowledging  the  re- 
ceipt of  his  letter,  with  an  intimation  that  if  he  chose 
to  leave  the  service  without  a cause,  there  would  still 
remain  heroes  and  patriots  to  support  the  honour  of 
the  flag.  This  sarcastic  note  Lawrence  received  as 
he  wa*fe  on  the  point  of  sailing  from  Boston.  To  have 
left  the  service  instantly  would  have  been  the  natural 
impulse  of  his  wounded  feelings,  but,  at  such  a 
moment,  with  a fine  ship  and  a gallant  crew,  with 
sails  unbent  to  meet  the  enemy,  he  could  not  part 
with  the  high  hopes  of  acquiring  reputation.  He 
therefore  repressed  his  indignation,  and,  in  reply  to 
the  Secretary  after  stating  his  surprise  and  regret, 


SAILS  FROM  BOSTON  IN  THE  HORNET.  209 

that  any  thing  which  he  had  written  should  have  been 
deemed  indecorous,  he  apprised  him  that  he  had  pre- 
pared a memorial  on  the  subject  to  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States,  and  should  be  governed  by  their  de- 
cision. This  example  may  be  serviceable  to  many 
officers,  who,  in  a moment  of  disappointment,  at  im- 
proper or  unkind  treatment,  are  tempted  to  resign. 
It  is  better — like  Lawrence — to  stifle,  for  a time,  the 
natural  but  hasty  resentment  of  wounded  pride,  till 
an  opportunity  offers  of  proving — not  by  our  com- 
plaints, but  our  actions — that  we  have  been  unjustly 
neglected.  Lawrence  sailed  under  the  galling  im- 
pression of  having  been  keenly  wounded  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  seeing  a junior  placed 
over  him.  On  his  return,  he  found  that  secretary  no 
longer  in  office,  and  himself  promoted,  in  consequence 
of  his  application  to  the  Senate,  to  tlie  rank  of  captain, 
so  as  to  outrank  the  officer  whose  well-deserved, 
though  irregular  appointment  had  given  him  so  much 
uneasiness. 

He  now  sailed  from  Boston  in  the  Hornet,  in 
company  with  Commodore  Bainbridge,  of  the  frigate 
Constitution,  on  a cruise  to  the  East  Indies  ; but,  in 
running  down  the  coast  of  the  Brazils,  in  the  month 
of  December,  they  found  the  Bonne  Citoyenne,  a 
British  ship  of  war,  loaded  with  specie,  lying  in  the 
port  of  St.  Salvador.  The  Bonne  Citoyenne,  was  a 
larger  vessel,  and  had  a greater  force  both  in  guns 
and  men  than  the  Hornet;  but  so  eager  was  Lawrence 
to  engage  her,  that  he  sent  through  the  American 
consul  at  St.  Salvador,  a challenge  to  her  commander. 
Captain  Greene.  “ I request  you  to  state  to  him,’* 

said  he,  “ that  I will  meet  him  whenever  he  may  be 
2D  18^ 


210  CHALLENGE  TO  CAPTAIN  GREENE. 

pleased  to  come  opt,  and  pledge  my  honour,  that 
neither  the  Constitution,  nor  any  other  American 
vessel  siiall  interfere.”  Commodore  Bainbridge,  at 
the  same  time,  declared,  “ if  Captain  Greene  wished 
to  try  equal  force,  I pledge  my  honour  to  give  him  an 
opportunity  by  being  out  of  the  way  or  not  inter- 
fering.’’ Whatever  might  have  been  the  motive  of 
Captain  Greene,  he  adroitly  evaded  this  offer  by 
answering,  that  “ although  nothing  would  give  him 
more  satisfaction  than  to  meet  Captain  Lawrence 
under  different  circumstances,  and  although  he  was 
convinced  tliat  the  result  of  such  an  encounter  could 
not  remain  long  undecided  in  his  own  favour,  yet  he  was 
equally  convinced  that  Commodore  Bainbridge  knew 
too  well  the  paramount  duty  he  owed  to  his  country, 
to  remain  an  inactive  spectator,  wdiile  a ship  of  his 
own  squadron  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and 
that  he  could  not  expose  the  Bonne  Citoyenne  to  a 
risk  so  manifestly  disadvantageous.”  To  give  Captain 
Greene  perfect  security  against  his  interference, 
Commodore  Bainbridge  left  St.  Salvador  for  four 
days,  during  which  Captain  Greene  might  perceive 
that  the  Constitution  was  not  within  forty  miles  dis- 
tance, and  Captain  Lawrence  lay  before  the  port  in 
defiance.  Still  the  Bonne  Citoyenne  did  not  move 
from  her  anchorage.  Commodore  Bainbridge  then 
went  into  St.  Salvador,  and  remained  three  days, 
supposing  that  the  English  officer  would  apply  to  the 
governor,  as  he  might  have  done,  and  detain  the  Con- 
stitution for  twmnty-four  hours,  and  thus  ensure  a fair 
engagement  with  Captain  LawTence;  but  he  continued 
inflexible.  Despairing  at  last  of  tempting  him  out. 
Commodore  Ba'nbridge  sailed  from  St.  Salvador,  and 


BLOCKADE  OF  THE  BONNE  CITOYENNE.  211 

Captain  Lawrence  remained  blockading  the  Bonne 
Citoyenne,  and  an  armed  schooner  of  twelve  guns,  till 
the  24th  of  January,  1813,  when  the  arrival  of  the 
Montague,  a seventy-four  gun  ship,  which  had  sailed 
from  Rio  Janeiro  for  the  express  purpose  of  relieving 
the  blockaded  ships,  compelled  him  to  retreat. 

The  whole  conduct  of  Captain  Lawrence  on  this 
occasion,  reflects  as  much  honour  on  the  American 
arms  as  the  most  brilliant  victory  could  have  done. 
The  propriety  of  private  challenges,  during  war,  may, 
generally  speaking,  he  questionable.  They  may  con- 
vert national  into  personal  quarrels,  and  blood  may 
be  sometimes  uselessly  sacrificed  to  fastidious  or 
frivolous  points  of  honour.  But  in  no  case  could 
they  have  ever  been  more  completely  justified  than  in 
the  present 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  so  totally  unequal 
was  the  contest — so  overwhelming  the  force  of  the 
enemy,  that  our  navy  could  hope  to  gain  nothing  but 
glory  in  the  struggle.  It  became,  therefore  a point 
of  honour  among  our  officers — the  point  on  which  the 
whole  controversy  rested,  to  prove  that  although 
they  might  be  crushed,  they  would  at  least  fall  with 
honour ; that  to  build  a numerous  fleet  was  the  work 
of  government ; but  to  make  a gallant  and  disciplined 
ship,  depended  on  the  officers ; and  that  although  the 
American  ships  should  be  overpowered  by  numbers, 
they  were  superior  to  any  single  adversary  of  equal 
strength.  And  what  could  more  decisively  and  glo- 
riously establish  this  superiority  than  the  conduct  of 
Captain  Lawrence  ? In  a single  American  sloop  of 
war  he  blockades  for  nearly  a month,  with  every 
token  of  defiance,  two  British  ships,  :>ne  of  them  his 


212  CAPTURE  OF  THE  RESOLUTION. 

superior  in  force,  till  a seventy-four  is  sent  for  to 
raise  the  blockade,  and  ’what  rendered  it  peculiarly 
mortifying  to  the  English,  all  this  was  done  before 
the  eyes  of  the  astonished  Portuguese,  who  had  till 
now  been  taught  by  their  haughty  friends,  that  no 
equal  vessel  had  ever  pursued  an  English  flag. 

From  St.  Salvador  Captain  Lawrence  now  shaped 
his  course  towards  Pernambuco.  On  the  10th  of 
February,  he  captured  the  English  brig  Resolution, 
of  ten  guns,  laden  with  provisions  and  about  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  in  specie,  but,  as  she  was  a dull 
sailer,  and  he  could  not  spare  hands  to  man  her,  he 
took  out  the  money  and  the  crew,  and  burnt  her.  He 
then  ran  down  the  coast  for  Maranham,  and,  after 
cruising  near  that  place  and  Surinam,  till  the  2Sd  of 
February,  he  stood  for  Demarara.  On  the  next 
morning,  he  discovered  a brig  to  leeward,  and  chased 
her  so  near  the  shore  that  he  was  obliged  to  haul  off 
for  want  of  a pilot.  During  the  chase,  however,  he 
had  discovered  a vessel  at  anchor  outside  of  the  bar 
of  Demarara  river,  with  English  colours  flying,  and 
now  began  beating  round  the  Corobano  bank  to  get  at 
her ; when,  between  three  and  four  o’clock  ih  the  after- 
noon, another  sail  was  seen  on  his  weather  quarter, 
edging  down  for  him.  As  she  approached,  she  hoisted 
English  colours,  and  proved  to  be  the  British  brig 
Peacock,  Captain  Peake.  The  Hornet  was  imme- 
diately cleared  for  action,  and  kept  close  to  the  wind, 
in  order  to  get  the  weather  guage  of  the  approaching 
vessel.  At  ten  minutes  past  five,  finding  that  he 
could  weather  the  enemy.  Captain  Lawrence  hoisted 
American  colours,  tacked,  and,  in  about  a quarter  of 
an  hour,  passed  the  British  ship  within  half  pistol- 


v^m^y 

• OF  THE 

m ^nisny  of  illh^o!s 


HORNET  AND  PEACOCK. 


216 


shot,  and  exchanged  broadsides.  The  enemy  was 
now  in  the  act  of  wearing,  when  Captain  Lawrence 
bore  up,  received  his  starboard  broadside,  and  ran 
him  close  on  board  on  the  starboard  quarter ; from 
which  position  he  kept  up  so  close  and  bloody  a fire, 
that  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  action,  the  British  struck  their  colours, 
and  hoisted  a signal  of  distress.  Lieutenant  Shubrick 
instantly  went  on  board,  and  found  that  she  was  cut 
to  pieces,  her  captain  killed,  many  of  the  crew  killed 
and  wounded,  her  mainmast  gone  by  the  board,  six 
feet  water  in  the  hold  and  sinking  very  fast.  The 
two  ships  were  immediately  brought  to  anchor,  and  the 
Hornet’s  boats  despatched  to  bring  otf  the  wounded ; 
but,  although  her  guns  were  thrown  overboard,  the 
shot  holes  which  could  be  got  at  plugged,  and  every 
exertion  made  by  pumping  and  bailing  to  keep  her 
afloat,  so  completely  had  she  been  shattered  that  she 
sunk  before  the  prisoners  could  be  removed,  carrying 
down  thirteen  of  her  crew,  as  well  as  three  men  be- 
longing to  the  Hornet.  Lieutenant  Connor  and  the 
other  officers  and  men  employed  in  removing  the 
prisoners,  narrowly  escaped  by  jumping  into  a boat, 
as  the  Peacock  went  down ; and  four  seamen  of  the 
Hornet  ran  up  into  the  foretop  at  the  same  time,  and 
were  taken  off  by  the  boats. 

The  Peac  ock  was  deemed  one  of  the  finest  ships 
of  her  class  in  the  British  navy.  In  size  she  was 
about  equal  to  the  Hornet ; but,  in  guns  and  men,  the 
Hornet  was  somewhat,  though  very  little,  her  supe- 
rior ; and  by  no  means  so  much  so,  as  to  give  her  any 
decided  advantage.  The  loss  on  board  the  Peacock 
could  not  be  precisely  ascertained.  Captain  Peake 


216  TREATMENT  OF  PRISONERS. 

was  twice  wounded,  the  second  time  mortally.  Four 
men  were  found  dead  on  board.  The  master  and 
thirty-two  others  were  wounded,  three  of  whom  after- 
wards died.  The  Hornet  had  only  one  man  killed, 
and  two  slightly  wounded.  Her  rigging  and  sails 
were  much  cut,  but  her  hull  received  very  little  injury. 
During  the  engagement,  the  vessel  which  the  Hornet 
had  been  endeavouring  to  reach  before  the  Peacock 
bore  down,  lay  at  anchor  within  six  miles,  and  as 
she  was  a brig — the  Espiegle — carrying  fifteen  thirty- 
two  pound  carronades  and  two  long  nines,  it  was 
supposed  that  she  would  attack  the  Hornet,  after  the 
latter  had  been  disabled  by  the  combat.  The  Hornet 
was  immediately  prepared  to  receive  her,  and,  by  nine 
o’clock  at  night,  her  boats  were  stowed,  a new  set  of 
sails  bent,  and  every  thing  ready  for  action.  She, 
however,  declined  coming  out.  The  next  morning, 
Captain  Lawrence  found  that  he  had  two  hundred 
and  seventy  souls  on  board  the  Hornet,  and,  as  his 
crew  had  for  some  time  been  on  short  allowance,  re- 
solved to  steer  for  the  United  States.  The  officers 
of  the  Peacock  received  from  those  of  the  Hornet  the 
most  humane  and  honourable  treatment;  so  penetrated 
with  gratitude  were  they  for  the  kindness  which  they 
had  experienced,  that  they  could  not  restrain  the  ex- 
pression of  their  feelings  till  they  reached  England, 
but,  on  their  arrival  in  the  United  States,  published 
a letter  of  thanks  to  Captain  Lawrence  and  his 
officers,  in  which  they  declared  that  such  was  the 
liberality  displayed  to  them,  that  “ they  ceased  to 
consider  themselves  prisoners.”  Nor  was  the  rough 
generosity  of  the  Hornet’s  crew  less  honourable.  As 
the  sailors  of  the  Peacock  had  lost  every  thing  except 


APPOINTED  TO  THE  CHESAPEAKE.  21? 

what  they  had  on  their  backs,  when  she  went  down, 
the  crew  of  the  Hornet  united  to  relieve  them ; and 
made  every  English  sailor  a present  of  two  shirts 
and  a blue  jacket  and  pair  of  trowsers;  a true-hearted 
liberality,  which  raises  them  in  our  estimation  higher 
than  even  their  victory. 

Captain  Lawrence  returned  to  New  York  in  safety, 
ind,  besides  the  applause  which  his  country  lavished 
upon  him  for  his  good  conduct,  had  the  satisfaction 
of  learning,  as  we  have  already  observed,  that  he  had 
been  promoted  during  his  absence,  and  his  rank  set- 
tled to  his  perfect  satisfaction.  Soon  after  his  return 
he  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  frigate  Constitu- 
tion, with  the  temporary  superintendence  of  the  navy 
yard  at  Ne\v  York.  But  the  next  day,  to  his  great 
regret,  he  received  instructions  to  repair  to  Boston, 
and  take  command  of  the  Chesapeake  frigate,  then 
nearly  ready  for  sea.  This  appointment  was  pecu- 
liarly unpleasant,  because  the  Chesapeake  was  not 
only  considered  as  one  of  the  very  worst  ships  in 
the  navy,  but,  in  consequence  of  her  disgrace  in  the 
rencontre  with  the  Leopard,  laboured  under  that 
dispiriting  stigma  among  sailors,  of  being  an  unlucky 
ship.”  These  circumstances,  combined  with  the  state 
of  his  family,  made  Captain  Lawrence  unwilling  to 
go  to  sea  immediately,  and  he,  therefore,  requested  to 
retain  his  situation  in  the  Hornet.  Disappointed  in 
this  wish,  he  then  took  command  of  the  Chesapeake, 
at  Boston,  where  he  had  been  but  a short  time,  when 
the  British  frigate  Shannon,  Captain  Broke,  appeared 
before  the  harbour,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  seeking 
a combat  with  the  Chesapeake.  Stung  with  the  re- 
peated disasters  of  the  British  frigates,  this  officer 
2 E 19 


218 


THE  CHALLENGE. 


resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  retrieve  them ; and,  when 
he  deemed  his  ship  perfectly  prepared  for  that  pur- 
pose,  sent  a formal  challenge  to  Captain  Lawrence. 

“As  the  Chesapeake” — his  letter  began — “ap- 
pears now  ready  for  sea,  I request  you  will  do  :ne  the 
favour  to  meet  the  Shannon  with  her,  ship  to  ship,  to 
try  the  fortune  of  our  respective  flags.  To  an  officer 
of  your  character,  it  requires  some  apology  for  pro- 
ceeding to  further  particulars.  Be  assured,  sir,  that 
it  is  not  from  any  doubt  I entertain  of  your  wishing 
to  close  with  my  proposal,  but  merely  to  provide  an 
answer  to  any  objection  that  might  be  made — and 
very  reasonably — upon  the  chance  of  our  receiving 
unfair  support.”  After  observing  that  Commodore 
Rodgers  had  not  accepted  several  verbal  challenges 
which  he  had  given.  Captain  Broke  then  proceeds  to 
state  very  minutely  the  force  of  the  Shannon,  and 
offers  to  send  all  British  ships  out  of  reach,  so  that 
they  might  have  a fair  combat,  at  any  place  within  a 
certain  range  along  the  coast  of  New  England,  which 
he  specified ; if  more  agreeable,  he  offers  to  sail  to- 
gether, and  to  warn  the  Chesapeake,  by  means  of 
private  signals  of  the  approach  of  British  ships  of 
war,  till  they  reach  some  solitary  spot — or  to  sail 
with  a flag  of  truce  to  any  place  out  of  the  reach  of 
British  aid,  so  that  the  flag  should  be  hauled  down 
when  it  was  deemed  fair  to  begin  hostilities.  “ I en- 
treat you,  sir,”  he  concludes,  “ not  to  imagine  that  I 
am  urged  by  mere  personal  vanity  to  the  wish  of 
meeting  the  Chesapeake,  or  that  I depend  only  upon 
your  personal  ambition  for  your  acceding  to  this 
invitation.  We  have  both  nobler  motives.  You  will 
feel  it  as  a compliment,  if  I say  that  the  result  of  our 


THE  CHALLENGE. 


219 


meeting  may  be  the  most  grateful  service  I can  render 
to  my  country;  and  I doubt  not  that  you,  equally 
confident  of  success,  will  feel  convinced  that  it  is  only 
by  repeated  triumphs  in  even  combats,  that  your  little 
navy  can  now  hope  to  console  your  country  for  the 
loss  of  that  trade  it  can  no  longer  protect.’’ 

The  style  of  this  letter,  with  the  exception  of  the 
puerile  bravado  about  Commodore  Rodgers,  is  frank 
and  manly;  and,  if  the  force  of  the  Shannon  were 
correctly  stated,  would  be  such  a challenge  as  might 
well  be  sent  from  a brave  seaman  to  a gallant  adver- 
sary. We,  however,  are  hut  two  well  satisfied,  that 
Captain  Broke  studiously  underrated  the  number  of 
his  guns  and  crew ; or  that,  after  his  challenge,  he 
must  have  received  additions  to  both.  That  the 
Shannon  had  more  guns  than  the  number  stated  by 
her  commander,  we  learn  from  the  testimony  of  the 
surviving  officers  of  the  Chesapeake  ; who  also  assert, 
that  she  had  three  hundred  and  seventy-six  men  ; that 
she  had  an  officer  and  sixteen  men  from  the  Belle 
Poule ; and  that  the  hats  of  some  of  her  seamen  were 
marked  “Tenedos.”  Such  as  it  was,  however,  this 
letter,  most  unfortunately,  never  reached  Captain 
Lawrence.  If  he  had  received  it — if  he  had  been 
thus  warned  to  prepare  his  ship — if  he  had  had  an 
opportunity  of  selecting  his  officers,  and  disciplining 
his  crew — if,  in  short,  he  had  been  able  to  place  the 
Chesapeake  on  any  thing  like  equal  terms  with  the 
Shannon,  the  combat  might  have  been  more  bloody — 
there  might  have  been  such  an  engagement  as  has  not 
yet  been  seen  between  single  ships  on  the  ocean; 
though  we  cannot  suffer  ourselves  to  doubt  the  result 
of  t.  But  he  knew  nothing  of  this  challenge — he  saw 


'I 


220  THE  CHESAPEAKE  SAILS. 

only  the  Shannon  riding  before  him  in  defiance ; he  re- 
membered the  spirit  with  which  he  himself  had  over- 
awed a superior,  and  he  could  not  brook  for  a moment, 
that  an  enemy,  which  seemed  to  be  his  equal,  should 
insult  his  flag.  Although,  therefore,  the  Chesapeake 
was  comparatively  an  inferior  ship — although  his  first 
lieutenant  was  sick  on  shore — although  three  of  his 
lieutenants  had  recently  left  her ; and,  of  the  four  who 
remained,  two  were  only  midshipmen,  acting  as  lieute- 
nants— although  part  of  his  crew  were  new  hands,  and 
all  of  them  had  lost  some  of  their  discipline  by  staying 
in  port — yet,  as  he  would  have  gone  to  sea  in  that  situa- 
tion had  no  enemy  appeared,  he  felt  himself  bound 
not  to  delay  sailing  on  that  account,  and  throwing 
himself,  therefore,  on  his  courage  and  his  fortune,  he 
determined  at  once  to  attack  the  enemy.  It  was  on 
the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June,  1813,  that  the  Chesa- 
peake sailed  out  of  the  harbour  of  Boston,  to  meet 
the  Shannon.  As  soon  as  she  got  under  weigh. 
Captain  Lawrence  called  the  crew  together,  and, 
having  hoisted  the  white  flag,  with  the  motto  of  ‘‘free 
trade  and  sailors^  rights,^’  made  a short  address. 
His  speech,  however,  was  received  with  no  en- 
thusiasm— on  the  contrary,  signs  of  dissatisfaction 
were  evident ; particularly  from  a boatswain^s  mate, 
a Portuguese,  who  seemed  to  be  at  the  head  of  the 
malcontents ; and  complaints  were  muttered,  that 
they  had  not  yet  received  their  prize  money.  Such 
expressions,  at  the  eve  of  an  action,  were  but  ill 
bodings  of  the  result  of  it;  but  Captain  Lawrence, 
ignorant  as  he  was  of  the  character  of  his  sailors, 
and  unwilling  at  such  a moment  to  damp  their  spirits 
by  harshness,  preserved  his  accustomed  calmness,  and 


THE  BATTLE. 


221 


had  prize  checks,  at  once,  given  by  the  purser  to 
those  who  had  not  received  them.  While  this  scene 
was  passing,  the  Shannon  observing  the  Chesapeake 
coming  out,  bore  away.  The  Chesapeake  followed 
her  till  four  o’clock,  in  the  afternoon,  when  she  hauled 
up  and  fired  a gun,  on  which  the  Shannon  hove  to. 
They  manoeuvred  for  some  time,  till  at  about  a quar- 
ter before  six,  they  approached  wfithin  pistol-shot, 
and  exchanged  broadsides. 

These  broadsides  were  both  bloody ; but  the  fire 
of  the  Shannon  was  most  fortunate  in  the  destruction 
of  officers.  The  fourth  lieutenant,  Mr.  Ballard,  was 
mortally  wounded — the  sailing  master  was  killed,  and 
Captain  Lawrence  received  a musket  ball  in  his  leg, 
which  caused  great  pain,  and  profuse  bleeding,  but 
he  leaned  on  the  companion-w^ay,  and  continued  to 
order  and  to  animate  his  crew.  A second  and  a 
third  broadside  was  exchanged,  with  evident  advan- 
tage on  the  part  of  the  Chesapeake ; but,  unfortu- 
nately, among  those  now  wounded  on  board  of  her, 
was  the  first  lieutenant,  Mr.  Ludlow,  who  was  carried 
below — three  men  were  successively  shot  from  the 
helm,  in  about  twelve  minutes  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  action ; and,  as  the  hands  were  shifting, 
a shot  disabled  her  foresail,  so  that  she  would  no 
longer  answer  her  helm,  and  her  anchor  caught  in 
one  of  the  afterports  of  the  Shannon,  which  enabled 
the  latter  to  rake  her  upperdeck.  As  soon  as  Law- 
rence perceived  that  she  was  falling  to  leeward,  and 
that  by  the  Shannon’s  filling  she  would  fall  on  board, 
he  called  his  boarders,  and  was  giving  orders  about 
the  foresail,  when  he  received  a musket  ball  in 
his  body.  The  bugleman,  who  should  have  called 


222 


THE  CHESAPEAKE  POARDED. 


the  boarders,  did  not  do  his  duty ; and,  at  this  moment, 
Commodore  Broke,  whose  ship  had  suffered  so  much 
that  he  was  preparing  to  repel  boarding : perceiving, 
from  this  accident,  how  the  deck  of  the  Chesapeake 
was  swept,  jumped  on  board  with  about  twenty  men. 
They  would  have  been  instantly  repelled ; but  the 
captain,  the  first  lieutenant,  the  sailing  master,  the 
boatswain,  lieutenant  of  marines,  the  only  acting 
lieutenant  on  the  spardeck,  were  all  killed  or  disabled. 
At  the  call  of  the  boarders.  Lieutenant  Cox  ran  on 
deck,  but  just  in  time  to  receive  his  falling  commander, 
and  bear  him  below.  Lieutenant  Budd — the  second 
lieutenant — led  up  the  boarders,  but  only  fifteen  or 
twenty  would  follow  him,  and  with  these  he  defended 
the  ship  till  he  was  wounded  and  disabled.  Lieute- 
nant Ludlow,  wounded  as  he  was,  hurried  upon  deck, 
where  he  soon  received  a mortal  cut  from  a sabre. 
The  marines  who  were  engaged  fought  with  desperate 
courage ; but  they  were  few  in  numbers ; too  many  of 
them  having  followed  the  Portuguese  boatswain’s 
mate,  who  exclaimed,  it  is  said,  as  he  skulked  below, 
“ so  much  for  not  paying  men  their  prize  money.” 
Meanwhile  the  Shannon  threw  on  board  sixty  addi- 
tional men,  who  soon  succeeded  in  overpowering  the 
seamen  of  the  Chesapeake,  who  had  now  no  officers 
to  lead  or  rally  them,  and  took  possession  of  the  ship; 
which  was  not,  however,  surrendered  by  any  signal 
of  submission  ; but,  became  the  enemy’s,  only  because 
they  were  able  to  overwhelm  all  who  were  in  a con- 
dition to  resist. 

As  Captain  Lawrence  was  carried  below,  he  per- 
ceived the  melancholy  condition  of  the  Chesapeake, 
but  cried  out,  ‘‘  Don’t  surrender  the  ship.”  He  was 


DEATH  OF  LAWRENCE.  223 

taken  down  in  the  wardroom,  and,  as  he  lay  in  ex- 
cruciating pain,  perceiving  that  the  noise  above  had 
ceased,  he  ordered  the  surgeon  to  go  on  deck,  and 
tell  the  officers  to  fight  on  to  the  last,  and  never 
strike  the  colours.  ‘‘They  shall  wave,”  said  he, 
“while  I live.”  But  it  was  too  late  to  resist  or  to 
struggle  longer;  the  enemy  had  already  possession 
of  the  ship.  As  Captain  Lawrence’s  wounds  would 
not  allow  of  his  removal,  he  continued  in  the  ward- 
room, surrounded  by  his  wounded  officers,  and,  after 
lingering  in  great  pain  for  four  days,  during  which 
his  sufferings  were  too  acute  to  permit  him  to  speak, 
or,  perhaps,  to  think  of  the  sad  events  he  had  just 
witnessed,  or  do  more  than  ask  for  what  his  situation 
required,  he  died  on  the  5th  of  June.  His  body  was 
wrapped  in  the  colours  of  the  Chesapeake,  and  laid 
on  the  quarterdeck,  until  they  arrived  at  Halifax, 
where  he  w^as  buried  with  the  highest  military  and 
naval  honours ; the  British  officers  forgetting,  for  a 
moment,  in  their  admiration  of  his  character,  that  he 
had  been  but  lately  their  enemy.  His  pall  was  sup- 
ported by  the  oldest  captains  in  the  navy  then  at 
Halifax,  and  no  demonstration  of  respectful  attention 
was  omitted  to  honour  the  remains  of  a brave,  but 
unfortunate  stranger. 

Thus  prematurely  perished,  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
two,  this  gallant  and  generous  seaman.  Lost,  as  he 
was,  in  the  full  vigour  of  his  powers,  and  with  the 
imperfect  measure  of  his  fame,  our  hopes  are  for- 
bidden to  dwell  on  the  fond  anticipation  of  what  he 
might  have  been,  and  we  are  left  to  rest  with  a 
melancholy  pleasure  on  the  qualities  which  his  short 
life  had  already  developed.  Lawrence  seems  to  have 


224  CHARACTER  OF  LAWRENCE. 

combined  ail  the  distinguished  and  endearing  quali- 
ties ; the  openness  of  heart,  the  manliness  of  pride,  the 
benevolence  of  feeling,  the  chivalrous  courage,  which 
our  imagination  ascribes  to  the  perfection  of  the  naval 
character.  He  w^as  devoted  to  his  profession,  and  to 
the  service.  During  nearly  sixteen  years  which  he 
spent  in  the  navy,  he  never  had  a furlough,  except 
one  for  about  six  weeks.  The  perfect  order  of  his 
ship  bore  testimony  to  his  merits  as  a disciplinarian, 
while  the  zealous  attachmei  t of  his  crew,  proved  that 
his  discipline  had  not  been  earned  by  harshness  or 
severity.  His  courage  was  of  a daring  and  desperate 
cast,  but  it  was  still  regulated  by  a calm  sobriety 
of  judgment.  Indeed,  the  characteristic  quality  of 
Lawrence — that  which  most  distinguished  him  as  an 
officer,  was  coolness  and  perfect  self-possession  in  the 
midst  of  danger.  Of  his  kindness,  of  the  warmth 
and  generosity  of  his  heart,  which  rendered  him,  em- 
phatically, a favourite  of  the  navy,  his  brother  officers 
are  all  willing  witnesses.  These  remembrances  are, 
however,  most  cherished,  where  they  are  now  most 
consolatory — in  the  bosom  of  his  family;  of  the  two 
widowed  sisters,  whose  cares,  during  his  infancy,  he 
repaid  with  the  kindest  protection ; of  his  afflicted 
wife,  who,  with  three  children — the  youngest  born 
since  his  father’s  death — is  left  to  lament  a loss,  which 
the  sympathy  of  her  country  may,  in  some  degree,  we 
trust,  alleviate. 

In  this  sanguinary  engagement  the  destruction  was 
nearly  equal  on  both  sides.  The  Chesapeake  lost 
her  commander  and  forty-seven  men  killed,  and 
ninety-seven  w^ounded,  of  whom  fourteen  afterwards 
died  Among  these  were  Lieutenant  Ludlow,  first 


CAUSES  OF  THE  CAPTURE.  225 

lieutenant  of  the  ship,  and  Lieutenant  Ballard,  the 
fo  rth  lieutenant,  both  excellent  officers. 

On  the  part  of  the  Shannon,  Captain  Broke  was 
dangerously  wounded,  though  he  has  since  recovered; 
the  first  lieutenant,  the  purser,  captain’s  clerk,  and 
twenty-three  seamen  killed,  and  fifty-seven  persons 
wounded,  besides  Captain  Broke. 

The  capture  of  the  Chesapeake  is  to  be  ascribed 
wholly  to  the  extraordinary  loss  of  officers,  (a  loss 
without  any  precedent,  as  far  as  we  can  recollect, 
in  naval  history;)  and  to  her  falling  accidentally  on 
board  the  Shannon.  During  the  three  broadsides, 
while  the  officers  of  the  Chesapeake  were  living,  and 
she  was  kept  clear  of  the  enemy,  the  superiority  was 
manifestly  with  the  Americans.  The  Chesapeake 
had  received  scarcely  any  damage,  while  the  Shannon 
had  several  shot  between  wind  and  water,  and  could 
with  difficulty  be  kept  afloat  during  the  succeeding 
night.  It  was  only  when  accident  threw  the  Chesa- 
peake on  board  the  Shannon,  when  her  officers  were 
unable  to  lead  on  the  boarders,  that  Captain  Broke 
himself — contrary,  we  believe,  to  the  regulations  of 
the  British  navy — left  his  own  ship,  and  was  able,  by 
superior  numbers,  to  overpower  the  distracted  crew 
of  the  Chesapeake. 

We  have  heard  many  accounts  which  we  are  very 
reluctantly  compelled  to  believe,  of  improper  conduct 
by  the  British  after  the  capture,  and  of  brutal  violence 
offered  to  the  crew  of  the  Chesapeake.  As,  however, 
some  allowances  are  due  to  the  exasperated  passions 
of  the  moment;  something,  too,  to  the  confusion  of 
a bloody  and  doubtful  struggle,  we  are  unwilling  to 

2 F 


226 


ANECDOTES. 


prolong  the  remembrance  of  imputations  which  may 
be  disproved,  and,  perhaps,  have  been  exaggerated. 

But  we  should  wrong  the  memory  of  Captain 
Lawrence — we  should  be  unjust  to  the  officers  of  the 
American  navy,  with  whose  glory  all  the  aspiring 
ambition  of  the  country  is  so  closely  blended — if  we 
omitted  any  opportunity  of  giving  the  last  and  fairest 
lustre  to  their  fame,  by  contrasting  their  conduct  with 
that  of  the  enemy ; or,  if  we  forbore,  from  any  mis- 
placed delicacy  towards  our  adversaries,  to  report 
circumstances  connected  with  the  fate  of  the  Chesa- 
peake, which  throw  a broad  and  dazzling  light  on  the 
generous  magnanimity  of  our  countrymen. 

When  Captain  Hull  took  the  Guerriere,  every 
chest,  trunk,  and  box  belonging  to  the  officers,  con- 
taining, it  was  known,  the  fruits  of  a long  cruise, 
much  of  it  against  our  own  country,  was  delivered  to 
them  without  examination.  The  very  trifles  which 
the  crew  of  the  Constitution  saved  from  the  Guerriere, 
before  she  was  blown  up,  were  scrupulously  restored 
to  the  English  sailors ; no  article  of  private  property 
was  touched. 

When  Commodore  Decatur  took  the  Macedonian, 
he  purchased  from  Captain  Carden  upwards  of  a 
thousand  dollars  worth  of  things  in  the  ship,  and 
Captain  Carden  was  permitted  to  take  the  rest  on 
shore.  To  such  an  extent  was  this  kindness  abused, 
that  every  knife  and  fork — every  cup  and  saucer — 
every  plate  and  dish — every  chair  and  table — in  short, 
every  thing  which  Captain  Carden  had  used,  was 
taken  on  shore;  and,  before  the  Macedonian  reached 
New  York,  the  prizemaster  was  obliged  to  send  on  " 


ANECDOTES. 


227 


board  the  United  States  for  the  most  common  articles 
of  daily  use,  as  the  prisoners  had  taken  them  all  away. 
At  the  same  time,  the  wardroom  officers  of  the  United 
States  purchased  their  wine  and  other  articles  from 
the  wardroom  officers  of  the  Macedonian. 

When  Commodore  Bainbridge  took  the  Java,  all 
the  property  of  all  the  officers  and  all  the  passengers, 
and  the  plate  belonging  to  a high  military  commander, 
were  restored  instantly.  The  American  officers 
would  have  deemed  it  disgraceful  to  retain  the  private 
property  of  a brother  officer,  even  though  he  were  an 
enemy  and  a prisoner. 

When  Captain  Lawrence  took  the  Peacock,  and 
the  officers  and  crew  of  that  vessel  were  left  destitute, 
the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Hornet  fed  and  clothed 
them  from  their  own  stores. 

When  the  Chesapeake  was  taken  by  the  Shannon, 
the  key  of  Captain  Lawrence’s  storeroom  was  de- 
manded of  the  purser.  It  was  given ; but  the  purser 
observed,  at  the  samo  time,  that  in  the  captures  of 
the  Guerriere,  Macedonian,  and  Java,  the  most  scru- 
pulous regard  was  paid  to  the  private  property  of  the 
British  officers ; that  Captain  Lawrence  had  laid  in 
stores  for  a long  cruise ; and  that  the  value  of  them 
would  be  a great  object  to  his  widow  and  family,  for 
whose  use  he  was  desirous,  if  possible,  of  preserving 
them.  This  request  was  not  merely  declined — it  was 
haughtily  and  superciliously  refused. 

Well,  then — the  enemy  captured  the  Chesapeake 
— they  enjoyed  the  little  private  property  of  Captain 
Lawrence ; but  they  have  not  taken  from  him  any 
of  his  individual  fame,  nor  of  his  country’s  glory. 
However  we  may  mourn  the  sufferings  of  that  day, 


228 


COMPARATIVE  FORCE. 


the  loss  of  the  Chesapeake  has  not,  in  our  estima 
tion,  varied  the  relative  standing  of  the  marine  of 
the  two  countries ; nor  does  it  abate,  in  the  slightest 
degree,  any  of  the  loftiness  of  our  naval  pretensions. 
The  contest  was  wholly  unequal  in  ships,  in  guns,  in 
crews,  in  officers,  in  every  thing. 

The  Shannon  was  a better  ship ; she  had  not  upon 
her  the  curse  of  that  ill-omened  name,  the  Chesapeake. 
The  Shannon  was  a stronger  ship ; she  mounted 
twenty-eight  eighteeen  pounders  on  the  maindeck, 
twenty-two  thirty-two  pound  carronades,  and  two 
long  brass  nines  or  twelves,  on  the  spardeck,  and  a 
large  carronade  amidships,  in  all  fifty-two  guns, 
besides  this  last  heavy  carronade ; while  the  Chesa- 
peake mounted  twenty-eight  eighteen  pounders  on  the 
maindeck,  and  twenty  thirty-two  pound  carronades, 
and  one  eighteen  pounder — chase  gun — on  the  spar- 
deck,  in  all  forty  ^nine  guns. 

The  Shannon  had  a better  crew.  Besides  her 
complement  she  had  seamen  from  two  other  ships. 
That  crew,  too,  had  been  long  at  sea;  long  in  the 
ship ; were  known ; were  tried ; and,  as  Commodore 
Broke  sent  a challenge,  were,  of  course,  men  in 
whom — if  they  were  not  picked  for  the  occasion — he 
knew  he  could  confide.  The  Chesapeake  had,  on  the 
contrary,  in  part,  a new  crew,  unknown  to  their 
officers,  not  yet  knowing  their  places,  or  the  ship. 
The  ship  had  not  been  more  than  a few  hours  at  sea, 
and  the  landsmen  and  the  landswomen  had  been  dis- 
missed from  her  on  the  very  day  of  the  engagement. 
The  officers,  too,  although  we  should  be  the  last  to 
detract  from  their  merits,  and  although  the  manner  in 
which  they  fought  their  ship  does  them  the  highest 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 


229 


honour,  the  officers  were  young  and  few  in  number, 
and  had  as  yet  scarcely  any  opportunity  of  disciplin- 
ing or  knowing  their  seamen ; yet,  under  all  these 
disadvantages,  the  great  damage  sustained  by  the 
Shannon,  and  the  great  loss  of  her  crew,  all  of  which 
took  place  before  the  boarding,  warrant  completely 
the  opinion,  that  but  for  the  accidental  loss  of  officers, 
the  victory  would  have  been  with  the  Chesapeake. 

So  far,  indeed,  from  humbling  our  national  pride, 
the  stubbornness  with  w'hich,  in  spite  of  its  inequality, 
this  combat  was  sustained,  only  confirms  us  in  a be- 
lief, not  created  by  the  events  of  that  war,  though  not 
likely  to  be  much  shaken  by  them — a belief  formed 
on  circumstances  which  even  a series  of  naval  losses 
cannot  now  control — a belief,  too,  in  avowing  which 
we  are  quite  content  to  incur  the  charge  of  over- 
weening national  prejudice — that  in  all  the  qualities 
essential  to  success  on  the  ocean,  the  American  seamen 
are  not  equal,  but  superior  to  the  British  seamen. 
It  is  no  merit  of  theirs.  Nature  and  circumstances 
have  made  them  so.  But  so  it  is — they  are  physi- 
cally superior ; they  are  morally  superior.  The  warm 
and  variable  climate  of  the  United  States,  has,  to  a 
certain  degree,  melted  the  ^.riginal  English  constitu- 
tion of  our  ancestors,  till,  instead  of  the  broad  shoul- 
dered and  ruddy  form  of  the  people  of  Great  Britain, 
the  Americans  are  a thinner  race  of  men,  with  less 
personal  strength  and  stamina,  but  with  more  activity, 
more  quickness,  more  alertness.  The  low^er  classes 
of  people  in  this  country,  too,  derive  from  their  popu- 
lar institutions  more  intelligence  and  education,  they 
learn  more,  they  learn  easier,  while  the  wider  field 
for  exertion,  and  the  perfect  freedom  of  employing 

20 


230  GENERAL  REMARKS. 

themselves  in  their  own  way,  gives  to  the  American 
character  a certain  play,  and  vigour,  and  animation 
not  found  in  any  other  nation.  The  Americans, 
moreover,  are  generally  younger  men,  more  in  the 
vigour  of  life.  The  state  of  our  trade  also  renders 
our  seamen  more  adventurous.  They  make  longer 
voyages,  in  smaller  ships,  and  brave  more  dangers  than 
can  he  experienced  in  the  regular  and  monopolised, 
and  convoyed  commerce  of  Great  Britan.  They,  be- 
sides, enter  into  the  service  voluntarily,  and  for  short 
periods,  and  their  minds  have  more  of  the  elasticity  of 
freedom  than  the  seamen  entombed  on  board  a British 
man  of  war.  The  effect  which  these  circumstances 
might  naturally  be  supposed  to  produce  we  have  often 
seen.  The  Americans  vanquished  the  English  at  sea 
again  and  again  during  the  Revolution.  In  the  war 
with  France,  the  American  squadrons  were  at  least 
as  active,  as  brave,  and  as  vigilant  against  the  enemy, 
as  those  of  England.  While  the  two  navies  were 
together  in  the  Mediterranean,  the  superiority  in 
ships,  crews,  and  officers  was,  in  the  opinion  of  every 
stranger,  decidedly  with  the  Americans.  How  that 
pre-eminence  was  sustained  in  the  recent  war,  need 
not  be  told.  In  short,  the  American  seamen  have 
always  held  that  high  rank  on  the  ocean  from  which 
the  casual  loss  of  the  Chesapeake,  in  an  ill-matched 
combat,  cannot  degrade  them,  and  which,  we  are  sure, 
with  the  blessing  of  God,  and  a liberal  policy  from 
their  country,  they  will  always  maintain.* 

Since  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  the  British 
historians  have  laboured  hard  to  show  that  all  the 
naval  victories  gained  by  the  Americans,  during  that 

* ,'ort  Folio. 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 


231 


war,  were  the  result  of  untoward  accidents,  or  of  a 
greatly  superior  force  on  our  side.  James,  in  his 
Naval  History,”  and  Alison,  in  his  recent  History 
of  Europe,”  have  distorted  facts,  and  made  wholly 
unfounded  statements  for  this  purpose.  But  the  true 
state  of  the  case  was  directly  the  reverse.  Our  vic- 
tories were  won  by  superior  gunnery  and  superior 
discipline,  and  their  only  one,  where  single  frigates 
were  opposed,  was  clearly  the  result  of  untoward 
accidents.  By  a process  of  careful  analogy,  some  of 
our  own  writers  have  shown  the  grounds  on  which 
we  declare  our  victories  to  have  been  fairly  won; 
and  yet  our  late  enemies  pretend  to  cite  American 
authority  for  accounts  of  these  victories  in  which  the 
national  vanity  of  the  British  is  grossly  and  systemati- 
cally flattered  at  the  expense  of  truth  and  justice. 


ISAAC  HULL. 


SAAC  HULL  was  born  in 
Derby,  near  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  in  the  year 
1775. 

His  career  on  the  ocean 
commenced  when  he  was  ? 
mere  boy.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  years  he  went  on 
board  a prize  taken  by  his  father  from  the  British, 
during  the  Revolution.  His  early  adventures  in  the 
merchant  service  were  of  a very  romantic  character. 
Before  he  entered  the  navy,  he  had  made  eighteen 
voyages  to  different  parts  of  Europe  and  the  West 

232 


SERVICE  IN  THE  AVEST  INDIES.  23S 

Indies.  He  entered  the  navy,  as  lieutenant,  on  the 
9th  of  March,  1798. 

His  first  active  service  was  in  the  war  with  the 
French  Republic,  during  the  administration  of  John 
Adams.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the  operations  of 
this  war  were  confined  chiefly  to  the  extirpation  of  a 
species  of  vermin  called  French  privateers  from  the 
West  India  seas,  an  exceedingly  toilsome,  but  in- 
glorious service.  The  most  celebrated  actions  of 
the  war  are  the  two  battles  of  Commodore  Truxtun, 
in  each  of  which  he  compelled  a French  frigate  of 
superior  force  to  strike.  Hull,  however,  then  first 
lieutenant  of  the  frigate  Constitution,  under  Commo- 
dore Talbot,  was  fortunate  enough,  in  May,  1790,  to 
obtain  a separate  command  for  a certain  piece  of 
service,  which  he  achieved  in  a very  brilliant  style. 

It  having  been  ascertained  that  a French  letter  of 
marque,  the  Sandwich,  was  lying  in  Port  Platte,  St. 
Domingo,  Commodore  Talbot  detached  Mr.  Hull, 
lieutenant  of  the  Constitution,  to  reconnoitre  in  one 
of  the  frigate’s  cutters,  and  soon  after  finding  the 
American  sloop  Sally,  employed  on  the  coast  of  the 
island,  he  threw  a party  of  seamen  and  marines  into 
her,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Hull,  who  arrived 
off  the  port,  with  most  of  his  men  below,  and  so  ar- 
ranged matters,  that  no  suspicion  of  his  intention 
was  excited.  The  Sally  ran  the  Sandwich  aboard, 
the  party  of  Mr.  Hull  went  into  her,  and  carried  her 
without  the  loss  of  a man.  At  the  same  moment. 
Captain  Carmick  landed  with  the  marines,  entered 
the  Spanish  battery,  under  whose  protection  the 
Sandwich  was  lying,  and  spiked  the  guns.  The 
Sandwich  was  stripped  to  her  girt-line,  and  every 
2G  20» 


234 


CAPTURE  OF  DERNE. 


thing  was  below.  She  was  captured  at  midday,  and, 
before  sunset,  she  had  her  royal  yards  across,  her 
guns  scaled,  her  American  crew  quartered,  and  soon 
after  she  weighed,  beat  out  of  the  harbour,  and  joined 
the  frigate.  Hull  always  considered  this  one  of  the 
most  creditable  of  his  achievements,  and  it  is  so  re- 
garded by  the  best  judges  of  nautical  exploits.  It 
turned  out,  however,  unfortunately  for  the  Constitu- 
tion's people ; for  the  legality  of  the  capture  in  a 
neutral  port  being  questioned,  not  only  was  the  Sand- 
wich restored  to  her  owners,  but  all  the  prize  money 
of  the  cruise  went  to  pay  damages.-^ 

In  the  Tripolitan  war  of  1804,  Hull’s  services  were 
more  important.  It  is  well  known  that  General 
Eaton,  by  taking  up  the  cause  of  the  deposed  Bashaw 
of  Tripoli,  Hamet  Caramalli,  and  assisting  him  to 
capture  Derne,  came  so  near  overturning  the  govern- 
ment, and  humbling  the  barbarians  to  our  own  terms, 
that  he  was  only  prevented  from  doing  this  by  the 
precipitate  treaty  of  Mr.  Lear.  It  is  not  so  well 
known  that  it  was  Hull  who  aided  General  Eaton  in 
the  most  essential  manner  by  furnishing  funds,  con 
veying  him  to  Egypt,  and,  finally,  by  battering  the 
town  and  fortifications,  while  Eaton  and  his  allies 
were  attacking  it  on  the  land  side.  The  singularity 
of  this  affair — a bodv  of  Americans  allied  with 
Turks,  attacking  an  African  towm  by  sea  and  land 
and  capturing  it — renders  it  one  of  the  most  romantic 
achievements  in  which  Mr.  Hull  was  ever  engaged. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  of  1812,  Hull 
having  beer  advanced  in  the  meantime  to  the  rank  of 


Cooper’s  Naval  History. 


ESCAPE  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION 


235 


captain,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  frigate  Con- 
stitution, in  which  he  was  destined  to  perform  those 
brilliant  actions  which  have  rendered  him  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  heroes  of  our  navy.  His  first  exploit 
was  the  escape  of  the  Constitution  from  a British 
squadron,  which  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  recorded  in  naval  history.  The  account 
of  it  contained  in  the  official  letter  of  Captain  Hull  has 
all  the  interest  of  a romance.  It  is  as  follows  : — 

“ United  States*  frigate  Constitution^  at  Sea^JuIy  21,  1812. 

Sir  : — In  pursuance  of  your  orders  of  the  3d  instant,  I left  An- 
napolis on  the  5th  instant,  and  the  capes  on  the  12th,  of  which  I 
advised  you  by  the  pilot  who  brought  the  ship  to  sea. 

For  several  days  after  we  got  out,  the  wind  was  light  and  ahead, 
which,  with  a strong  southerly  current,  prevented  our  making  much 
way  to  the  northward.  On  the  17th,  at  two,  P.  M.,  being  in 
twenty-two  fathoms  water  off  Egg  harbour,  four  sail  of  ships  were 
discovered  from  the  masthead,  to  the  northward  and  in  shore  of 
us,  apparently  ships  of  war.  The  wind  being  very  light  all  sail 
was  made  in  chase  of  them,  to  ascertain  whether  they  were  the 
enemy’s  ships,  or  our  squadron  having  got  out  of  New  York,  wait- 
ing the  arrival  of  the  Constitution,  the  latter  of  which  I had  reason 
to  believe  was  the  case. 

At  four,  in  the  afternoon,  a ship  was  seen  from  the  masthead, 
bearing  about  N.  E.,  standing  for  us  under  all  sail,  which  she  con- 
tinued to  do  until  sundown,  at  which  time  she  was  too  far  off  to 
distinguish  signals,  and  the  ships  in  shore  only  to  be  seen  from  the 
tops ; they  were  standing  off  to  the  southward  and  eastward.  As 
we  could  not  ascertain  before  dark  what  the  ship  in  the  offing  was, 
I determined  to  stand  for  her,  and  get  near  enough  to  make  the 
night  signal. 

At  ten,  in  the  evening,  being  within  six  or  eight  miles  of  the 
strange  sail,  the  private  signal  was  made,  and  kept  up  nearly  one 
hour,  but  finding  she  could  not  answer  it,  I concluded  she  and  the 
ships  in  shore  were  enemy. 


236 


FROM  A BRITISH  SQUADRON. 


I immediately  hauled  off  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  and 
made  all  sail,  having  determined  to  lie  off  till  daylight  to  see  what 
they  were.  Tiie  ship  that  we  had  been  chasing  hauled  off  after 
us,  showing  a light,  and  occasionally  making  signals,  supposed  to 
be  for  the  ships  in  shore. 

On  the  18th,  at  daylight,  or  a little  before  it  was  quite  light,  saw 
two  sail  under  our  lee,  w'hich  proved  to  be  frigates  of  the  enemy’s. 
One  frigate  astern  within  about  five  or  six  miles,  and  a line  of  battle 
ship,  a frigate,  a brig,  and  schooner,  about  ten  or  twelve  miles 
directly  astern,  all  in  chase  of  us,  with  a fine  breeze,  and  coming 
up  fast,  it  being  nearly  calm  where  we  were.  Soon  after  sunrise, 
the  wind  entirely  left  us  and  the  ship  would  not  steer,  but  fell 
round  off  with  her  head  towards  the  two  ships  under  our  lee.  The 
boats  were  instantly  hoisted  out,  and  sent  ahead  to  tow  the  ship’s 
head  round,  and  to  endeavour  to  get  her  farther  from  the  enemy, 
being  then  within  five  miles  of  three  heavy  frigates  The  boats  of 
the  enemy  were  got  out  and  sent  ahead  to  tow,  by  which,  with  the 
light  air  that  remained  with  them,  they  came  up  very  fast.  Finding 
the  enemy  gaining  on  us,  and  but  little  chance  of  escaping  from 
them,  I ordered  two  of  the  guns  on  the  gundeck  to  be  ran  out  a* 
the  cabin  windows  for  stem  guns  on  the  gundeck,  and  hoisted  one 
of  the  twenty-four  pounders  off  the  gundeck,  and  run  that,  with  the 
forecastle  gun,  an  eighteen  pounder,  out  at  the  ports  on  the  quar- 
terdeck, and  cleared  the  ship  for  action,  being  determined  they 
should  not  get  her  without  resistance  on  our  part,  notwithstanding 
their  force  and  the  situation  we  were  placed  in 

At  about  seven,  in  the  morning,  the  ship  nearest  us  approaching 
within  gunshot,  and  directly  astern,  I ordered  one  of  the  stern 
guns  fired,  to  see  if  we  could  reach  her,  to  endeavour  to  disable 
her  masts ; found  the  shot  fell  a little  short,  would  not  fire  any 
more. 

At  eight,  four  of  the  enemy’s  ships  nearly  within  gunshot,  some 
of  them  having  six  or  eight  boats  ahead  towing,  with  all  their  oars 
and  sweeps  out,  to  row  them  up  with  us,  which  they  were  fast 
doing.  It  now  appeared  that  we  must  be  taken,  and  that  our 
escape  was  impossible — four  heavy  ship^  nearly  within  gunshot, 
and  coming  up  fast,  and  not  the  least  hope  of  a breeze  to  give  us  a 
chance  of  getting  off  by  outsailing  them. 

In  this  situation,  finding  ourselves  in  only  twenty-four  fathoms 


Escape  of  the  Conailution  from  a British  Squadron. 


237 


IfBRARY 
. OF  THE 
UfJlVErriTY  CF  ILUNOIS 


ESCAPE  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION  239 

water,  by  the  suggestion  of  that  valuable  officer,  Lieutenant  Morris, 
I determined  to  try  and  warp  the  ship  ahead,  by  carrying  out 
anchors  and  warping  her  up  to  them;  three  or  four  hundred 
fathoms  of  rope  was  instantly  got  up,  and  two  anchors  got  ready 
and  sent  ahead,  by  which  means  we  began  to  gain  ahead  of  the 
enemy;  they,  how'ever,  soon  saw  our  boats  carrying  out  the  anchors, 
and  adopted  the  same  plan,  under  very  advantageous  circumstances, 
as  all  the  boats  from  the  ships  furthermost  off  were  sent  to  tow 
and  warp  up  those  nearest  to  us,  by  which  means  they  again  came 
up,  so  that  at  nine,  the  ship  nearest  us  began  to  fire  her  bow  guns, 
which  we  instantly  returned  by  our  stern  guns  in  the  cabin  and 
on  the  quarterdeck.  All  the  shot  from  the  enemy  fell  short ; but 
we  have  reason  to  believe  that  some  of  ours  went  on  board  her,  as 
we  could  not  see  them  strike  the  water.  Soon  after  nine,  a second 
frigate  passed  under  our  lee,  and  opened  her  broadside,  but  finding 
her  shot  fall  short,  discontinued  her  fire ; but  continued,  as  did  all 
the  rest  of  them,  to  make  every  possible  exertion  to  get  up  with 
us.  From  nine  to  twelve,  all  hands  were  employed  in  warping 
the  ship  ahead,  and  in  starting  some  of  the  water  in  the  main  hold 
to  lighten  her,  which,  with  the  help  of  a light  air,  we  rather  gained 
of  the  enemy,  or,  at  least,  held  our  own.  About  two,  in  the  after- 
noon, all  the  boats  from  the  line  of  battle  ship  and  some  of  the 
frigates  were  sent  to  the  frigate  nearest  to  us,  to  endeavour  to  tow 
her  up,  but  a light  breeze  sprung  up,  which  enabled  us  to  hold  way 
with  her,  notwithstanding  they  had  eight  or  ten  boats  ahead,  and 
all  her  sails  furled  to  tow  her  to  windward.  The  wind  continued 
light  until  eleven  at  night,  and  the  boats  were  kept  ahead  towing 
and  warping  to  keep  out  of  the  reach  of  the  enemy,  three  of  the 
frigates  being  very  near  us ; at  eleven,  we  got  a light  breeze  from 
the  southward,  the  boats  came  alongside  and  were  hoisted  up,  the 
ship  having  too  much  way  to  keep  them  ahead,  the  enemy  still  in 
chase  and  very  near. 

On  the  19th,  at  daylight  passed  within  gunshot  of  one  of  the 
frigates,  but  she  did  not  fire  on  us,  perhaps,  for  fear  of  becalming  her, 
as  the  wind  was  light;  soon  after  passing  us  she  tacked,  and  stood 
after  us — at  this  time  six  sail  were  in  sight,  under  all  sail  after  us. 
At  nine,  in  the  morning,  saw  a strange  sail  on  our  weather  beam, 
supposed  to  be  an  American  merchan»t  ship ; the  instant  the  frigate 
nearest  us  saw  her,  she  hoisted  American  colours,  as  did  all  the 


240 


FROM  A BRITISH  SQUADRON 


squadron,  in  hopes  to  decoy  her  down;  I immediately  hoistel  the 
English  colours,  that  she  might  not  be  deceived ; she  soon  hauled 
her  wind,  and,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  made  her  escape.  All  this  day 
the  wind  increased  gradually,  and  we  gained  on  the  enemy,  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  six  or  eight  miles;  they,  however,  continued 
chasing  us  all  night  under  a press  of  sail. 

On  the  20th,  at  daylight  in  the  morning,  only  three  of  them  could 
be  seen  from  the  masthead,  the  nearest  of  which  was  about  twelve 
miles  off,  directly  astern.  All  hands  were  set  at  work  wetting  the 
sails,  from  the  royals  down,  with  the  engine  and  fire  buckets,  and 
we  soon  found  that  we  left  the  enemy  very  fast.  At  a quarter  past 
eight,  the  enemy  finding  that  they  were  fast  dropping  astern,  gave 
over  chase,  and  hauled  their  wind  to  the  northward,  probably  for 
the  station  off  New  York.  At  half  past  eight,  saw  a sail  ahead, 
gave  chase  after  her  under  all  sail.  At  nine,  saw  another  strange 
sail  under  our  lee  bow,  we  soon  spoke  the  first  sail  discovered, 
and  found  her  to  be  an  American  brig  from  St.  Domingo,  bound  to 
Portland ; I directed  the  captain  how  to  steer  to  avoid  the  enemy, 
and  made  sail  for  the  vessel  to  leeward ; on  coming  up  with  her, 
she  proved  to  be  an  American  brig  from  St.  Bartholomew’s,  bound 
to  Philadelphia : but,  on  being  informed  of  war,  he  bore  up  for 
Charleston,  S.  C.  Finding  the  ship  so  far  to  the  southward  and 
eastward,  and  the  enemy’s  squadron  stationed  off  New  York, 
which  would  make  it  impossible  for  the  ship  to  get  in  there,  I de- 
termined to  make  for  Boston,  to  receive  your  farther  orders,  and 
I hope  my  having  done  so  will  meet  your  approbation.  My  wish 
to  explain  to  you  as  clearly  as  possible  why  your  orders  have  not 
been  executed,  and  the  length  of  time  the  enemy  were  in  chase  of 
us,  with  various  other  circumstances,  have  caused  me  to  make  this 
communication  much  longer  than  I could  have  wished,  yet  I cannot 
in  justice  to  the  brave  officers  and  crew  under  my  command,  close 
it  without  expressing  to  you  the  confidence  1 have  in  them,  and 
assuring  you  that  their  conduct  while  under  the  guns  of  the  enemy 
was  such  as  might  have  been  expected  from  American  officers  and 
seamen.  I have  the  honour  to  be,  with  very  great  respect,  sir 
your  obedient  humble  servant, 

(Signed)  Isaac  Huli., 

The  Hon.  Paul  HamLton, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington.” 


ISBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


ACTION  WITH  THE  GUERRIERE.  243 

Such  is  Captain  Hull’s  modest  account  of  this  truly 
brilliant  exploit.  Sailing  on  a cruise  immediately 
after  this,  with  the  same  frigate,  officers,  and  crew, 
on  the  19th  of  August  he  fell  in  with  His  Britannic 
Majesty’s  ship  Guerriere,  rated  at  thirty-eight  guns, 
and  carrying  fifty,  commanded  by  Captain  Dacres, 
who,  some  time  before,  had  politely  endorsed  on  the 
register  of  an  American  ship  an  invitation  to  Captain 
Hull  to  give  him  a meeting  of  this  kind. 

At  half  past  three,  P.  M.,  Captain  Hull  made  out 
his  antagonist  to  be  a frigate,  and  continued  the  chase 
till  he  was  within  about  three  miles,  when  he  cleared 
for  action;  the  chase  backed  her  main-topsail  and 
waited  for  him  to  come  down.  As  soon  as  the  Con- 
stitution was  ready,  Hull  bore  down  to  bring  the 
enemy  to  close  action  immediately;  but,  on  his  coming 
within  gunshot,  the  Guerriere  gave  a broadside  and 
filled  away  and  w^ore,  giving  a broadside  on  the  other 
tack;  but  without  effect,  her  shot  falling  short.  She 
then  continued  wearing  and  manceuvring  for  about 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  to  get  a raking  position, — 
but,  finding  she  could  not,  she  bore  up  and  ran  under 
her  topsails  and  jib,  with  the  wind  on  the  quarter. 
During  this  time,  the  Constitution,  not  having  fired 
a single  broadside,  the  impatience  of  the  officers  and 
men  to  engage  was  excessive.  Nothing  but  the  most 
rigid  discipline  could  have  restrained  them.  Hull, 
however,  was  preparing  to  decide  the  contest  in  a 
summary  method  of  his  own.  He  now  made  sail  to 
bring  the  Constitution  up  with  her  antagonist,  and, 
at  five  minutes  before  six,  P.  M.,  being  alongside 
within  half  'pistol  shot,  he  commenced  a heavy  fire 
from  all  his  guns,  double-shotted  with  round  and 
2H  21 


244  CAPTURE  OF  THE  GUERRIERE. 

grape;  and  so  well  directed,  and  so  well  kept  up  was 
the  fire,  that  in  sixteen  minutes  the  mizenmast  of  the 
Guerriere  went  by  the  board,  and  her  mainyard  in 
the  slings,  and  the  hull,  rigging  and  sails  were  com- 
pletely torn  to  pieces.  The  fire  was  kept  up  for 
fifteen  minutes  longer,  when  the  main  and  foremast 
went,  taking  with  them  every  spar  except  the  bow- 
sprit, and  leaving  the  Guerriere  a complete  wreck. 
On  seeing  this,  Hull  ordered  the  firing  to  cease, 
having  brought  his  enemy  in  thirty  minutes  after  he 
was  fairly  alongside  to  such  a condition,  that  a few 
more  broadsides  must  have  carried  her  down. 

The  prize  being  so  shattered  that  she  was  not 
worth  bringing  into  port,  after  removing  the  prisoners 
to  the  Constitution,  she  w^as  set  on  fire  and  blowm 
up.  ' In  the  action,  the  Constitution  lost  seven  killed, 
and  seven  wounded;  the  Guerriere,  fifteen  killed, 
sixty-two  'wounded — including  the  captain  and  several 
officers,  and  twenty-four  missing. 

The  new^s  of  this  victory  was  received  in  the 
United  States  with  the  greatest  joy  and  exultation. 
All  parties  united  in  celebrating  it,  and  the  citizens 
and  public  authorities  vied  with  each  other  in  be- 
stowing marks  of  approbation  upon  Captain  Hull  and 
his  gallant  officers  and  crew. 

Since  the  war  of  1812,  Commodore  Hull  has  com- 
manded in  the  Pacific  and  Mediterranean,  and  on  the 
shore  stations  in  the  United  States.  He  came  to 
Philadelphia  in  the  autumn  of  1842.  In  the  winter 
he  w^as  seized  with  the  sickness  w^hich  terminated 
bis  honourable  and  useful  life.  He  retained  the  full 
exercise  of  his  mental  faculties  to  the  last,  and  died 
with  the  composure  becoming  hii  character  as  a man, 


DEATH  OF  COMMODORE  HULL. 


245 


and  his  hopes  as  a Christian.  He  depaited  this  life 
on  Monday,  the  13th  of  February,  1843.  He  had 
made  his  will,  and  purchased  the  lot  at  Laurel  Hill 
cemetery,  where  his  remains  are  now  deposited. 
Commodore  Hull’s  attachment  to  his  profession  al- 
ways led  him  to  honour  it,  and  to  preserve  its  dignity 
in  his  own  character  and  deportment.  He  always 
wore  his  uniform,  and,  probably  by  his  own  direction, 
his  corpse  was  laid  out  in  the  full  dress  of  a com- 
mander, and  thus — 

He  lay  like  a warrior  taking  his  rest/’ 

and  noble  warrior  he  was- — a glorious  old  commo- 
dore— with  a soul  full  of  all  noble  aspirations  for  his 
country’s  honour — a splendid  relic  of  a departed 
epoch  of  naval  renown. 


21# 


WILLIAM  HENRY  ALLEN. 


EW  among  our  naval 
heroes  have  had  a more 
brilliant  career  than 
the  subject  of  this  me- 
moir. He  entered  the 
service  at  an  early  age, 
was  actively  engaged 
during  the  Tripolitan 
war,  was  present  and 
bore  a conspicuous 
between  the  United  States  and 
finally  fell  desperately  fighting 


part  in  the  action 
Macedonian,  and 
against  a superior  force,  giving,  in  his  last  hour,  proofs 


246 


EARLY  LIFE. 


247 


of  gallantry  which  elicited  the  warmest  admiration  and 
the  most  marked  tokens  of  respect  from  the  enemy 
on  whose  soil  his  remains  were  buried. 

William  Henry  Allen  was  born  at  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  October, 
1784.  His  father,  William  Allen,  on  the  breaking 
out  of  our  revolutionary  troubles,  was  appointed  a 
first  lieutenant  in  the  army.  He  continued  in  the 
army  until  the  restoration  of  peace,  and  commanded 
the  Rhode  Island  line  of  troops  at  the  battle  of  Sara- 
toga, when  he  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  major. 
He  was  present  and  actively  engaged  in  most  of  the 
battles  which  were  fought  during  our  revolutionary 
war;  and  in  1786,  was  appointed  by  Congress,  senior 
officer  of  the  legionary  corps  raised  in  Rhode  Island. 
In  the  year  1799,  he  was  appointed  by  the  legislature 
of  that  State,  brigadier  general  of  militia.  The 
mother  of  William  Henry  Allen,  was  the  sister  of 
the  present  Governor  of  Rhode  Island.  It  was  the 
intention  of  his  parent  that  Henry  should  have  re- 
ceived a liberal  education ; and  he  went  through  the 
preparatory  studies.  He  panted,  however,  for  more 
active  life ; and,  notwitstanding  the  pressing  remon- 
strances of  his  parents,  he  entered  the  navy,  as  a 
midshipman,  in  May  1800. 

In  three  months  after  his  appointment,  he  was 
ordered  on  board  the  frigate  George  Washington, 
commanded  by  Commodore  Bainbridge,  to  carry 
presents  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers.  On  his  departure, 
he  writes  to  his  father,  “ I now  bid  you  a short  adieu ; 
but,  should  it  be  the  last,  you  shall  have  the  satisfac- 
tion to  hear  of  my  good  conduct  in  my  station  as  an 
officer  and  as  a gentleman.’’ 


248  SERVICE  IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN. 

This  cruise  was  attended  with  peculiarity  of  inci- 
dent. The  demand  of  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  that  the 
frigate  should  be  employed  in  carrying  his  presents 
to  the  Grand  Seignior,  at  Constantinople,  and  the 
unavailing  reluctance  and  remonstrances  of  Captairi 
Bainbridge,  are  circumstances  generally  known. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  the  flag  of  an  American 
frigate  had  waved  in  the  harbour  of  Constantinople. 
The  fine  order  of  the  ship,  and  the  excellent  discipline 
observed  among  the  officers  and  men,  tended  to  im- 
press very  high  ideas  of  the  American  character  in  a 
quarier  of  the  world  where  before  it  was  unknown. 

Commodore  Bainbridge  returned  to  America,  on 
the  19th  of  April,  1801,  when  a reduction  of  the 
navy  ensued.  In  eight  days  after  the  return  of  the 
subject  of  the  present  memoir,  and  while  he  was 
solacing  himself  in  the  hope  of  once  more  visiting  his 
family  and  friends,  he  was  ordered  on  board  the 
Philadelphia,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Barron, 
to  scour  the  Mediterranean  sea  again. 

He  bade  his  friends  a cordial  adieu,  and  entered 
on  the  service  with  that  promptitude  that  ever  dis- 
tinguished him.  Nothing  material  transpired  during 
the  cruise.  The  ship  returned  to  the  United  States, 
on  the  27th  of  June,  1802.  For  the  first  time,  after 
his  entrance  into  the  service  of  his  country,  was  he 
now  enabled  to  enjoy  the  society  of  his  friends,  and 
to  visit  his  paternal  abode.  This,  however,  was  but 
a short  repose  allowed  him  from  the  fatigues  of  naval 
service,  for  in  October,  1802,  he  sailed  in  the  frigate 
John  Adams,  commanded  by  Captain  Rodgers,  to 
visit,  for  the  third  time,  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 


ranean 


NARROW  ESCAPE. 


249 


During  the  voyage,  he  was  informed,  by  his  cor- 
respondent of  a report,  which  afterwards  proved  to 
he  unfounded,  that  a younger  officer  was  advanced 
over  his  head.  This  is  the  manly  reply  of  a boy  of 
seventeen  : “ I am  too  well  grounded  in  old  principles 
to  mind  such  assaults  now.  If  the  government  de- 
cide thus,  I can  say — amen,  with  all  my  heart.” 
Commodore  Rodgers  returned  from  this  cruise,  in 
December,  1803.  Early  in  the  year  1804,  he  was 
ordered  on  board  the  frigate  Congress,  lying  at 
Washington,  of  which  he  was  appointed  sailing 
master.  This  frigate  sailed  on  the  1st  of  July,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Rodgers,  for  the  Mediter- 
ranean. On  the  outward-bound  passage,  while  the 
ship  was  lying  to,  in  a violent  gale,  Allen  was  on 
the  foreyard,  assisting  the  sailors  in  taking  a reef. 
Letting  fall  that  part  of  the  sail  on  which  he  had 
hold,  he  was  precipitated  headlong  into  the  sea,  to 
the  depth  of  twenty  feet,  passing,  in  his  fall,  very 
near  the  anchor  on  the  bows.  Fortunately,  he  arose 
near  the  mizen  chains,  and,  by  taking  hold  on  them, 
narrowly  escaped  inevitable  death,  as  the  ship  was 
then  drifting  very  fast.  While  cruising  off  the  coast 
of  Tripoli,  Captain  Rodgers  intended,  if  the  command 
should  have  devolved  upon  him,  in  consequence  of  the 
illness  of  Commodore  Barron,  an  attack  on  that  place. 
He  took  Allen  with  him  in  the  schooner  to  take  the 
soundings,  preparatory  to  the  anticipated  assault. 
They  entered  the  harbour  with  muffled  oars ; and, 
after  taking  a sounding,  and  complete  survey,  they 
passed  so  near  the  Tripoline  gunboats,  that  they  dis- 
tinctly heard  the  men  conversing  below.  They  also 
heard  the  sentinels  on  the  walls  of  the  battery  con- 
21 


260 


MEDITERRANEAN  SERVICE. 


versing  together.  As  they  were  returning  from  the 
Darbour,  a heavy  gale  sprung  up,  and  they  had  a 
narrow  escape  to  the  Nautilus,  which  vessel  was  then 
in  the  very  act  of  leaving  her  position. 

In  the  month  jf  October,  1805,  Captain  Rodgers 
removed  to  the  frigate  Constitution,  and  assumed  the 
command  of  the  squadron,  in  consequence  of  the  re- 
turn of  Captain  Barron  to  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Allen  w as  also  removed  to  the  Constitution,  and  pro- 
moted to  a lieutenancy.  He  served  as  third  lieute- 
nant on  board  the  Constitution,  and  returned  in  that 
frigate  to  the  United  States,  in  the  year  1806. 

During  these  several  cruises  to  the  Mediterranean, 
although  nothing  transpired  on  board  of  the  frigates 
where  Lieutenant  Allen  w^as  stationed,  that  might 
fairly  be  denominated  naval  glory,  still  a peculiarity 
of  circumstances  gave  a lofty  and  elevated  tone  to  the 
feelings  of  all  the  officers.  An  American  squadron 
in  the  w’aters  of  the  Mediterranean  w^as  itself  a 
novelty.  That  squadron  was  small,  and  it  w^as  des- 
tined to  pass  under  the  review^  and  strict  scrutiny  of 
English  ships  of  war  occasionally  stationed  in  these 
seas,  and  passing  the  straits  of  Gibraltar.  Personal 
courage,  skill,  and  correctness  of  discipline,  could 
alone  insure  them  respect  in  a company  so  illustrious  ; 
and  to  these  points  all  their  efforts  w^re  directed. 
They  felt  the  high  responsibility  attached  to  their 
station,  and,  knowing  how^  important  the  first  impres- 
sion of  a national  character  w^as,  they  acted  up  to 
that  dignity  which  the  occasion  demanded. 

After  this  long  and  fatiguing  cruise,  he  was  per- 
mitted, for  a short  time  to  visit  his  friends  and 
relations  in  ProvMence.  In  February,  1807,  he 


AFFAIR  OF  THE  CHESAPEAKE.  251 

received  orders  from  Government  to  join  the  frigate 
Chesapeake,  commanded  by  Captain  Barron,  then 
fitting  out  at  Washington,  for  the  straits.  He  re- 
mained at  Philadelphia  while  the  ship  was  preparing 
for  sea,  during  which  time  he  was  busily  employed  in 
recruiting  men  for  the  service,  and  then  entered  as 
third  lieutenant.  The  attack  on  the  Chesapeake, 
by  the  Leopard,  succeeded  shortly  after  the  former 
sailing.  The  unfortunate  result  of  this  affair  was 
peculiarly  trying  to  Lieutenant  Allen,  and  his  feelings 
were  very  warmly  expressed  at  the  time  in  his  letters. 
The  only  gun  that  was  fired  at  the  Leopard,  during 
the  encounter,  was  touched  off  by  Mr.  Allen,  by 
means  of  a coal  held  in  his  fingers. 

During  the  operation  of  the  embargo,  in  1808,  the 
Chesapeake,  to  which  Lieutenant  Allen  was  still  at- 
tached, cruised  off  Block  island,  and  captured  several 
vessels  violating  the  law.  From  motives  of  delicacy, 
he  desired  to  be  excused  from  boarding  any  vessels 
belonging  to  his  native  State.  Mr.  Allen  remained 
in  the  Chesapeake,  in  this  service,  until  February 
1809,  when  he  was  ordered,  by  government,  to  join 
the  frigate  United  States,  while  lying  at  Washington, 
under  the  command  of  Commodore  Decatur.  The 
Commodore  was  himself  absent,  and  the  equipping 
of  the  frigate  was  a duty  that  devolved  on  his  first 
lieutenant,  who  was  not,  for  a space  of  two  months, 
absent  a moment  from  the  navy  yard.  This  ship 
lay  part  of  the  time  at  Norfolk,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  time  was  engaged  in  short  cruises  on  the  coast, 
until  the  declaration  of  war  against  Great  Britain,  in 
1812.  Shortly  after,  the  United  States  frigate  sailed 
upon  a cruise;  and  on  the  25th  of  October,  1812,  in 


252  CAPTURE  'F  THE  MACEDOMAA'. 

latitude  29,  N.  longitude  29,  30,  W.,  fell  in  with  His 
Britannic  Majesty’s  ship,  the  Macedonian,  commanded 
by  Captain  Carden.  She  was  a frigate  of  the  largest 
class,  mounting  forty-nine  carriage  guns,  and  reputed 
one  of  the  swiftest  sailers  in  the  British  navy.  When 
this  frigate  first  hove  in  sight,  and  while  orders  were 
given  on  board  of  the  United  States  to  prepare  fer 
action,  Lieutenant  Allen  mounted  aloft ; and,  after 
watching  her  closely  for  some  time,  at  length  dis- 
covered the  English  pennant.  He  descended  to  his 
comrades,  who  were  impatiently  awaiting  him  below, 
and  jocosely  pronounced  the  frigate  a lawful  prize. 
The  enemy  having  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  fought 
at  his  own  distance,  and  the  contest  was  kept  up  for 
one  hour  and  fifty  minutes.  The  United  States 
poured  such  an  incessant  fire,  that  the  shouts  fronj 
the  crew  of  the  Macedonian  were  distinctly  heard, 
who,  from  that  cause,  apprehended  her  to  be  in  flames. 
Her  colours  were,  nevertheless,  hauled  down  shortly 
afterwards.  In  the  engagement,  she  lost  her  mizen- 
mast,  fore  and  main-topmasts,  and  mainyard.  She 
was  likewise  much  damaged  in  her  hull.  Thirty-six 
were  killed  and  forty-eight  wounded.  On  board  the 
United  States  frigate  five  only  were  killed,  and  seven 
wounded.  The  American  frigate  received  so  little 
damage  in  this  engagement,  that  she  would  still  have 
continued  her  cruise,  had  it  not  been  necessary  for 
her  to  accompany  her  prize  into  port,  on  account  of 
the  crippled  state  of  the  British  frigate.  Any  com- 
ments on  this  splendid  action — an  action  so  glorious 
to  the  arms  of  our  countrymen — would  surely  now 
be  needless. 

In  the  United  States  frigate.  Lieutenant  Allen  was 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  PRISONERS.  253 

most  assiduous  in  exercising  and  training  the  crew  to 
the  use  of  the  artillery.  The  accuracy  with  which 
the  guns  were  directed,  and  the  celerity  with  which 
they  could  be  fired,  evince  the  improvement  of  their 
discipline ; and,  indeed,  it  could  not  be  surpassed. 
After  Captain  Carden  had  gone  on  board  the  United 
States,  Lieutenant  Allen  requested  the  other  officers 
to  go  in  a boat  which  was  ready  for  them.  The  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Macedonian  surlily  said,  ‘‘You  do 
not  intend  to  send  me  away  without  my  baggage?” 

“ I hope,”  replied  Allen,  “ you  do  not  suppose  you 
have  been  taken  by  privateersmen  ?” 

“I  do  not  know” — replied  the  other  rudely — “by 
whom  I am  taken.” 

Lieutenant  Allen  sternly  ordered  him  instantly  into 
the  boat,  and  he  immediately  went.  Lieutenant  Allen 
placed  a guard  over  the  baggage  of  the  officers,  and, 
as  soon  as  the  other  duties  which  demanded  his  at- 
tention were  concluded,  he  sent  the  same  day  all  the 
baggage  on  board  the  United  States.  The  surgeon 
of  the  Macedonian  continued  on  board ; and  he  fre- 
quently, in  conversation,  bore  testimony  to  the  kind- 
ness of  Lieutenant  Allen,  towards  that  part  of  the  crew 
remaining  in  the  Macedonian,  particularly  toward  the 
wounded.  The  wardroom  officers  of  the  Macedonian 
expressed  to  the  wardroom  officers  of  the  United 
States,  a deep  sense  of  the  civilities  which  they  had 
received;  and  wished  to  give,  jointly,  another  expres- 
sion of  their  gratitude,  in  a writing  which  might  be 
considered  as  a letter  to  all  British  officers,  to  secure 
their  good  treatment,  in  case  the  United  States  should 
be  captured.  This  certificate  of  protection  was  very 
properly  declined. 


22 


254  ALLEN  BRINGS  IN  THE  PRIZE. 

To  Lieutenant  Allen  was  entrusted  the  honourable 
charge  of  bringing  the  prize  into  port,  and  she  safely 
arrived  in  the  harbour  of  New  York,  amidst  the 
enthusiastic  gratulations  of  our  countrymen.  His 
share  in  this  glorious  action  cannot  be  better  ex- 
pressed than  in  the  words  of  Commodore  Decatur 
himself:  “It  would  be  unjust,”  continues  this  gallant 
officer,  “ it  would  be  unjust  in  me  to  discriminate, 
where  all  met  my  fullest  expectations.  Permit  me, 
however,  to  recommend  to  the  particular  notice  of 
the  Secretary,  my  first  lieutenant,  Wm.  H.  Allen, 
who  has  served  with  me  upwards  of  five  years ; and  to 
his  unremitted  exertions,  in  disciplining  the  crew,  is 
to  be  imputed  the  obvious  superiority  of  our  gunnery, 
exhibited  in  the  result  of  this  conquest.” 

The  corporation  and  citizens  of  New  York  honour- 
ed him  and  his  commander  with  a splendid  and  superb 
festival ; and  the  legislatures  of  Rhode  Island  and 
Virginia  presented  him  with  a sword,  as  a testimonial 
of  their  sense  of  his  gallant  services.  There  was 
every  thing  in  this  victory  which  could  gratify  the 
pride  of  an  American.  The  individual  injury  done  to 
our  enemy  by  the  loss  of  a frigate,  or  the  advantage 
to  ourselves,  by  acquiring  one,  is  nothing.  It  in- 
spires a loftiness  of  feeling,  a confidence,  that  is 
communicated  to  other  souls,  and  introduces  a strain 
of  patriotic  sensations  perfectly  ncvel.  It  breaks 
the  sea-spell  that  seemed  to  surround  the  navy  of 
England. 

When  the  Macedonian  struck.  Lieutenant  Allen, 
in  taking  possession,  came  alongside.  Those  on 
board  were  so  uncivil  as  to  neglect  handing  him  a 
rope,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  on  board,  and  he  had 


VISIT  OF  THE  GOVERNOR. 


255 


to  clamber  up  the  side  by  the  chains.  Arriving  at 
Nantucket  shoals,  the  United  States  frigate  and  the 
Macedonian,  which,  before,  had  continually  kept  to- 
gether, then  parted  in  a gale.  The  wind  was  so  high, 
he  entertained  serious  apprehensions  that  the  vessel 
would  founder.  He  determined,  as  a last  resort,  to 
anchor  where  she  was,  putting  two  or  three  cables  on 
end.  He  thought  he  could  ride  any  gale  in  that 
manner,  and  would  not  believe  the  contrary,  until  it 
was  proved  by  experiment.  The  storm,  however, 
abated,  and  he  arrived  safe  at  Newport,  to  the  great 
exultation  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  place,  on  the  same 
day  of  the  same  month  that  Admiral  Parker  arrived 
there  with  his  fleet,  during  our  revolutionary  war. 

He  here  received  a visit  from  his  uncle,  the 
Governor  of  Rhode  Island,  whom  he  invited  down, 
and  saluted  with  a discharge  of  nine  guns  on  his 
arrival  on  board.  While  in  the  Sound,  waiting  a 
favourable  wind,  to  proceed  to  New  York,  he  was 
visited  by  people  from  all  parts  of  the  adjacent  country 

The  Sunday  previous  to  the  battle,  the  wardroom 
officers  of  the  Macedonian  toasted  an  American  fri- 
gate. On  the  following  Sunday,  they  were  gratified 
by  the  fulfilment  of  their  wishes. 

After  this.  Lieutenant  Allen  was  allowed  some 
little  respite  from  the  naval  service ; he  visited  his 
native  land,  and  received  the  kind  congratulations  of 
his  relatives  and  friends,  in  the  bosom  of  his  paternal 
abode.  This  repose  was,  however,  but  of  short  dura- 
tion ; the  strong  and  imperative  calls  of  his  country, 
once  more  summoned  him  to  active  duty. 

Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  Macedonian  at 
New  York,  the  Argus  returned  tr  that  port,  com- 


256  TAKES  THE  MINISTER  TO  FRANCE. 

manded  by  Captain  Sinclair.  He  obtained  leave  to 
visit  his  friends ; and,  by  order  of  Commodore  De- 
catur, Lieutenant  Allen  took  the  command.  He 
thoroughly  repaired  the  vessel,  and  received  an  order 
from  the  Commodore  to  go  in  quest  of  a British  brig 
of  war,  reported  to  be  in  the  Sound.  The  whole 
crew  of  the  Hornet,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Shu- 
brick,  volunteered  their  services.  He  remained  in 
the  Sound  for  the  space  of  a week,  without  meeting 
with  the  enemy,  when  he  received  the  orders  of  the 
Commodore  to  return. 

On  the  death  of  Mr.  Barlow,  our  Minister  at  the 
court  of  France,  our  government  deemed  it  expedient 
to  renew  the  negotiation.  Mr.  Crawford  was  ap- 
pointed as  his  successor;  and  the  subject  of  the 
present  memoir,  now  advanced  to  the  rank  of  master 
and  commander,  was  directed  to  take  command  of 
the  Argus,  and  to  conduct  our  minister  to  the  place  of 
his  destination.  He  accepted  the  appointment  with 
his  usual  promptitude,  and  sailed  with  our  new  min- 
ister for  France.  He  w^as  so  fortunate  as  to  elude 
the  vigilance  of  the  blockading  squadron,  and  arrived 
at  the  port  of  L’ Orient,  in  twenty-three  days.  He 
informs  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  his  letter,  bear- 
ing date  June  12th,  1813,  that  “he  shall  immediately 
proceed  to  put  in  execution  his  orders  as  to  the  ulte- 
terior  purposes  of  his  destination.’’ 

The  business  here,  which,  from  prudential  motives, 
is  so  darkly  hinted  at,  was,  undoubtedly,  as  appears 
from  the  sequel,  to  sail  in  the  Irish  channel,  and 
annoy  the  English  commerce.  It  was  a service,  to  a 
man  fond  of  glory,  peculiarly  invidious.  Such  con- 
quests were  attended  with  nc.'  honour ; and  Captain 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  ENEMF.  257 

Allen,  in  compliance  with  his  orders,  seemed  pecu- 
liarly solicitous,  in  the  discharge  of  this  unthankful 
office,  to  make  the  enemy  feel  and  confess  the  motives 
by  which  he  was  guided.  The  injury  which  he  did 
to  the  British  commerce  is,  in  some  of  their  papers, 
estimated  to  the  amount  of  two  millions.  While  thus 
employed  in  burning,  sinking,  and  destroying  the 
enemy's  property,  Captain  Allen  was  peculiarly  care- 
ful to  distinguish  his  character  from  those  who  depre- 
dated for  selfish  purposes  only.  The  property  of  the 
passengers  was  sacred  from  hostility ; not  an  article 
of  that  kind  would  he  suffer  to  be  touched.  The 
passengers  were  allowed  to  go  below,  and  to  take 
what  they  claimed  as  their  own,  and  no  hands  be- 
longing to  the  Argus  were  permitted  to  inspect  them 
while  they  were  employed  in  so  doing.  On  one 
occasion,  when  a passenger  had  left  his  surtout  be- 
hind him,  it  was  sent  after  him  in  the  boat;  on 
another  occasion.  Captain  Allen  ordered  one  of  his 
hands,  who  was  detected  in  the  act  of  some  petty 
plunder  of  this  kind,  to  be  flogged  at  the  gangway. 
The  English  papers,  while  they  were  writhing  under 
the  severe  injuries  thus  inflicted,  were  unanimous  in 
their  testimonials  of  respect  to  the  conduct  of  this 
gallant  officer,  for  the  humanity  and  delicacy  with 
which  he  performed  a service  so  invidious.  Probably 
no  action  of  his  life  could  more  plainly  distinguish 
his  character  than  this ; he  loved  danger,  as  much  as 
he  abhorred  to  plunder  the  defenceless 

It  appears  very  evident,  that  if  prudence  was  con- 
sulted, it  was  his  duty  to  avoid  an  engagement.  The 
damage  which  he  might  have  done  the  enemy,  by 
another  species  of  warfare,  was,  beyond  all  comparison, 
2K  22^ 


258  .':;apture  of  the  argus. 

greater  than  by  risking  a battle,  even  if  fortune  should 
decide  the  controversy  in  his  favour.  Even  a victory 
ensured  capture,  for,  alone  and  unsupported  as  he  was, 
his  own  ship  would,  in  all  human  probability,  suffer 
material  injury,  and  both  the  captured  and  the  captor 
become  the  prize  of  one  of  the  many  frigates  then 
sw^arming  in  the  English  channel.  These  considera- 
tions, however,  would  have  but  little  weight  with  him. 
He  declared  previously  to  his  setting  out,  that  he 
would  run  from  no  two  masted  vessel.  Anxious  to 
quit  himself  of  a business  which  he  so  much  disliked, 
he  sought  an  opportunity  to  act  in  a situation  more 
congenial  to  his  feelings.  He  burned  for  an  encounter 
with  an  enemy  even  of  considerably  superior  force, 
with  whom  he  might  risk  an  encounter ; and  the  op- 
portunity finally  presented  itself. 

By  the  official  letter  of  Lieutenant  Watson  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  dated  at  Norfolk,  on  the  2d 
of  March,  1815,  it  appears  that  the  number  of  vessels 
captured  by  the  Argus  during  the  cruise  was  twenty, 
and  that  in  latitude  52°  15',  N.  longitude  5°  50'  W., 
on  the  14th  of  August,  1813,  at  four  o’clock,  P.  M., 
they  discovered  a large  brig  of  war  bearing  down 
upon  them,  under  a press  of  sail,  and  immediately 
prepared  to  receive  her.  The  action  commenced  at 
six  o’clock,  and  lasted  till  forty-seven  minutes  past 
six,  during  a greater  part  of  which  time  the  enemy, 
having  a choice  of  position  which  enabled  him  to  rake 
the  Argus  repeatedly,  and  to  render  her  unmanage- 
able from  the  injury  done  to  the  rigging  in  the  early 
part  of  the  action,  reduced  the  Argus  to  a complete 
wreck,  and  she  was  finally  compelled  to  strike.  This 
result  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  we  consider 


MR.  HAWKER’S  LETTER. 


259 


the  superior  force  of  the  enemy’s  vessel,  which  was 
the  sloop  of  war  Pelican,  of  twenty-one  carriage  guns; 
viz.,  sixteen  thirty-two  pound  carronades,  four  long 
sixes,  and  one  twelve  pound  carronade.*  The  Argus 
lost  six  killed  in  the  action,  five  who  subsequently 
died  of  their  wounds,  and  twelve  wounded.  Among 
the  killed  were  two  midshipmen — Messrs.  Delphy 
and  Edwards — and  among  the  mortally  wounded, 
was  the  gallant  Captain  Allen  himself.  He  was  des- 
perately wounded  in  the  early  part  of  the  action ; re- 
fused to  be  carried  below,  and  fainted  on  the  deck 
from  the  loss  of  blood.  When  he  was  removed  from 
• his  berth  to  the  hospital,  for  amputation,  he  cast  his 
languid  eyes  on  his  faithful  comrades,  and  feelingly 
pronounced  these  words  : “ God  bless  you,  my  lads  ! 
we  shall  never  meet  again.”  The  following  letter 
will  speak  for  itself 

[Copy  of  a letter  from  John  Hawker,  Esq.,  cidevant 
American  vice  consul,  dated] 

Plymouth^  19iA  August^  1813. 

Sir  ; — The  situation  I have  had  the  honour  to  hold  for  many 
years  past,  of  American  vice  consul,  calls  forth  my  poignant  feelings 
in  the  communication  1 have  to  make  to  you,  of  the  death  of  your 
son.  Captain  Allen,  late  commanding  the  United  States’  brig  of  war 
Argus,  which  vessel  was' captured  on  Saturday  last,  in  the  Irish 
channel,  after  a very  sharp  action  of  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  by 
His  Britannic  Majesty’s  ship  Pelican. 

“ Early  in  the  contest.  Captain  Allen  lost  his  leg,  but  refused  to 
be  carried  below,  till,  from  the  loss  of  blood,  he  fainted.  Messrs. 
Edwards  and  Delphy,  midshipmen,  and  four  seamen,  were  killed; 
and  Lieutenant  Watson,  the  carpenter,  boatswain,  boatswain’s  mate, 
and  seven  men  wounded.  Captain  Allen  submitted  to  amputation 

* The  Argus  rated  sixteen,  and  carried  twenty  guns ; viz.,  eighteen 
twenty-four  pound  carronodes,  and  two  long  twelves.  The  British 
itate  their  loss  at  seven  killed  and  wounded. 


260 


DEATH  OF  CAPTAIN  ALLEN. 


above  the  knee,  while  at  sea.  He  was  yesterday  morning  attended 
by  very  eminent  surgical  gentlemen,  and  removed  from  the  Argus 
to  the  hospital,  where  every  possible  attention  and  assistance  would 
have  been  afforded,  had  he  survived ; but  which  was  not,  from  the 
first  moment,  expected,  from  the  shattered  state  of  his  thigh.  At 
eleven,  last  night,  he  breathed  his  last ! He  was  sensible,  at  inter- 
vals, till  within  ten  minutes  of  his  dissolution,  when  he  sunk  ex- 
hausted, and  expired  without  a struggle.  His  lucid  intervals  were 
very  cheerful;  and  he  was  satisfied  and  fully  sensible  that  no 
advice  or  assistance  would  be  wanting.  A detached  room  was 
prepared  by  the  commissary  and  chief  surgeon,  and  female  attend- 
ants engaged,  that  every  tenderness  and  respect  might  be  experienced. 
The  master,  purser,  surgeon,  and  one  midshipman,  accompanied 
Captain  Allen,  who  was  also  attended  by  his  two  servants. 

I have  communicated  and  arranged  with  the  officers  respecting 
the  funeral,  which  will  be  in  the  most  respectful,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  economical  manner.  The  port  admiral  has  signified  that  it  is 
the  intention  of  His  Britannic  Majesty’s  government  that  it  be  pub- 
licly attended  by  officers  of  rank,  and  with  military  honours.  The 
time  fixed  for  the  procession  is  on  Saturday,  at  eleven,  A.  M.  A 
lieutenant-colonel’s  guard,  of  the  Royal  Marines,  is  also  appointed. 
A wainscot  coffin  has  been  ordered ; on  the  breastplate  of  which 
will  be  inscribed  as  below.*  Mr.  Delphy,  one  of  the  midshipmen 
who  lost  both  legs,  and  died  at  sea,  was  buried  yesterday,  in  St. 
Andrew’s  churchyard.  I have  requested  that  Captain  Allen  may 
be  buried  as  near  him,  on  the  right,  (in  the  same  vault,  if  practica- 
ble,) as  possible. 

“ 1 remain,  respectfully,  sir, 

“ Y our  most  obedient  humble  servant, 
(Signed.)  “John  Hawker. 

“ Cidevant  American  vice  consul. 

**  To  General  Allen,  &c.,  &c.,  &c., 

“ Providence,  Rhode  Island.” 

The  following  extract  from  a London  paper,  shows 
the  order  of  procession. 

♦ A tablet,  whereon  will  be  recorded  the  name,  rank,  age,  and  character  of  the 
deceased,  and  also  of  the  midshipman,  will  be  placed,  (if  it  can  be  contrived,)  as 
I have  suggested ; both  having  lost  their  lives  in  fighting  for  their  country. 


THE  FUNERAL. 


231 


“ Plymouth^  August  24. 

“ On  Saturday  last,  the  21st,  was  interred  with 
military  honours,  William  Henry  Allen,  Esq.,  late 
commander  of  the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Argus, 
who  lost  his  left  leg  in  an  action  with  His  Majesty’s 
sloop  of  war  Pelican,  J.  F.  Maples,  Esq.,  captain,  in 
St.  George’s  channel,  the  14th  mst,  whereof  he  died 
in  the  Mill  Prison  hospital,  on  the  15th  following. 

“ Procession. — Guard  of  honour.  Lieutenant- 
colonel  of  Royal  Marines,  with  two  companies  of  that 
corps.  The  captains,  subalterns,  and  field  adjutant. 
(Officers  with  hatbands  and  scarfs.)  Royal  Marine 
band.  Vicar  and  Curate  of  St.  Andrew’s.  Clerk 
of  ditto.  The  Hearse — with  the  corpse  of  the  de- 
ceased Captain — attended  by  eight  seamen,  late  of  the 
Argus,  wuth  crape  round  their  arms,  tied  with  white 
crape  ribbon.  Also  eight  British  captains,  of  the 
Royal  Navy,  as  Pall-bearers,  with  hatbands  and 
scarfs.  Captain  Allen’s  servants,  in  mourning.  The 
officers  late  of  the  Argus,  in  uniform,  with  crape 
sashes  and  hatbands,  two  and  two.  John  Hawker, 
Esq.,  late  American  vice  consul,  and  his  clerks. 
Captain  Pellowe,  commissioner  for  prisoners  of  war. 
Dr.  Magrath,  chief  medical  officer  at  Mill  Prison 
depot.  Captains  of  the  Royal  Navy  in  port,  two 
and  two — followed  by  a very  numerous  and  respect- 
able retinue  of  inhabitants. 

“ The  procession  left  Mill  Prison  at  twelve  o’clock. 
The  coffin  was  covered  with  a velvet  pall,  and  the 
ensign  under  which  the  action  was  fought,  and  upon 
that  the  hat  and  sword  of  the  deceased  were  laid. 
On  the  coffin  being  removed  to  the  hearse,  the  guard 
saluted ; and,  when  deposited  in  the  hearse,  the  pro- 


262  CHARACTER  OF  ALLEN. 

cession  moved  forward,  the  band  playing  the  ‘ Dead 
March  in  Saul.’  On  their  arrival  near  the  church, 
the  guard  halted  and  clubbed  arms,  single  files  in- 
ward, through  which  the  procession  passed  to  the 
church,  into  which  the  corpse  was  carried,  and  de- 
posited in  the  centre  aisle,  while  the  funeral  service 
was  read  by  the  reverend  Vicar,  after  which  it  was 
removed  and  interred  in  the  south  yard,  (passing 
through  the  guard  in  the  same  manner  from  as  to  the 
church,)  on  the  right  of  Mr.  Delphy,  midshipman  of 
the  Argus,  who  lost  both  his  legs  in  the  same  action, 
and  was  buried  the  preceding  evening.” 

Thus  lived  and  died,  William  Henry  Allen.  By 
the  company  and  conversation  of  the  elegant  and 
polite,  the  hard  and  severe  duties  of  the  sailor  ac- 
quired a sort  of  polish,  and  his  character  presented 
that  combination  of  gallantry,  grace,  and  intrepidity, 
that  so  irresistibly  attracts.  In  the  hour  of  danger, 
he  was  calm,  intrepid  and  persevering;  in  private  in- 
tercourse guarded,  affable,  and  delicate.  Entering 
into  the  navy  with  large  and  expanded  ideas  of  honour, 
the  perils  he  encountered,  and  the  hard  service  he 
endured,  consolidated  his  romantic  and  floating  visions 
into  rules  and  principles  of  action.  By  never  lower- 
ing his  lofty  standard  amidst  the  jostle  of  so  many 
contending  difficulties,  he  at  length  arrived  at  the 
eminence  which  he  sought,  and  new  trials  served 
only  to  call  into  exercise  new  and  unexplored  re- 
sources of  fortitude.  He  had  so  long  forsaken  every 
other  consideration  for  glory,  that  he  finally  measured 
his  life  by  this  standard,  and  felt  a repulsive  anti- 
pathy to  whatever  fell  short  of  that  measure.* 


* Port  Fob’o. 


JOHNSTON  BLAKELEY. 

OHNSTON  BLAKELEY  was 
born  near  the  village  of  Seaford, 
in  the  county  of  Down,  Ireland, 
in  the  month  of  O.ctober,  1781. 
Two  years  afterwards  his  father, 
Mr.  John  Blakeley,  emigrated  to 
this  country ; and,  after  residing 
at  Philadelphia  a few  m.onths, 
left  it  for  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  with  a view  of  engaging  in  business.  Meet- 
ing, however,  with  but  little  encouragement  at  Charles- 
ton, he  finally  removed  to  Wilmington,  North  Caro- 
lina, allured  by  more  favourable  prospects.  Soon 

263 


264  ENTERS  THE  UNIVERSITY. 

after  his  establisniiient  at  this  place,  Mr.  Blakeley  was 
deprived,  one  by  one,  of  his  wife,  and  all  his  children, 
except  his  son  Johnston. 

Ascribing  these  successive  losses  to  the  insalubrity 
of  the  climate,  which  is  said  to  be  peculiarly  un- 
favourable to  children,  Mr.  Blakeley  was  induced  to 
send  his  only  surviving  son  to  N#w  York;  as  well 
with  a view  to  the  preservation  of  his  health,  as  to 
afford  him  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  an  education. 
Johnston  was,  accordingly,  in  the  year  1790,  sent  to 
that  place,  and  committed  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Hoope, 
a respectable  merchant  of  that  place,  and  an  old 
friend  of  his  father.  Here  he  remained  five  years, 
assiduously  pursuing  his  studies ; at  the  end  of  which 
he  returned  to  Wilmington,  where  he  remained 
for  some  time  without  any  particular  pursuit  or  oc- 
cupation. 

It  was  the  intention  of  his  father  to  bring  him  up 
to  the  law,  and,  with  a view  to  qualify  him  for  that 
profession,  he  was  placed,  in  1796,  at  the  University 
of  North  Carolina, — a most  respectable  institution, 
situated  at  Chapel  Hill,  in  the  county  of  Orange. 
While  pursuing  his  studies  here,  he  was  deprived  of 
his  father,  who  died  the  year  after  young  Blakely 
entered  the  University ; leaving  behind  him  the  cha- 
racter of  a good  man,  equally  exemplary  as  a parent 
and  a citizen.  Young  Blakeley  was  now  without  a 
relative  in  this  country,  to  whom  he  could  look  up 
for  advice,  or  protection,  or  assistance;  and  it  became 
necessary  for  him  to  choose  a guardian.  In  this 
choice  he  was  singularly  fortunate,  in  the  selection 
of  Mr.  Jones,  an  eminent  lawyer,  of  Wilmington,  who 
most  tenderly  and  generously  supplied  the  place  of  a 


ENTERS  THE  NAVY. 


265 


father.  With  occasional  intermissions,  he  remained 
at  college  till  some  time  in  the  year  1799;  when,  by 
some  misfortune,  of  which  we  have  never  been  able 
to  obtain  any  distinct  account,  and  which,  therefore, 
we  will  not  attempt  to  detail,  he  was  deprived  of  the 
support  derived  from  his  father,  and  compelled  to  re- 
linquish his  studies  at  the  University,  as  well  as  his 
intention  of  practising  the  law. 

Having  long  had  a predilection  for  a naval  life, — 
which,  however,  he  had,  with  a self-denial  worthy  of 
imitation,  concealed  from  his  father, — he  solicited, 
and,  through  the  friendly  exertions  of  Mr.  Jones, 
obtained  a midshipman’s  warrant,  in  the  year  1800 
It  is  hut  just  to  state,  however,  that  previous  to 
making  this  application,  Mr.  Jones,  desirous  that  his 
young  ward  should  fulfil  the  wishes  of  his  deceased 
parent,  kindly  offered  to  take  him  to  his  house,  and 
to  afford  him  every  facility  in  his  power,  to  complete 
his  legal  studies.  Unwilling  to  accumulate  obliga 
tions  he  might  never  repay,  and,  perhaps,  too,  stimu- 
lated by  a clear  perception  of  the  line  of  life  nature 
had  marked  out  for  him,  he  declined  this  generous 
offer.  In  every  subsequent  situation,  he  retained  and 
demonstrated  the  most  grateful  recollection  of  Mr. 
Jones’s  friendship,  and,  to  the  end  of  his  life,  acknow- 
ledged him  his  benefactor. 

“ As  any  thing” — writes  the  gentlemen  who  fur- 
nished us  the  materials  for  this  Biography,  and  whose 
language  we  have  almost  every  where  followed — 
“ which  illustrates  the  character  of  so  much  departed 
worth,  especially  where  the  qualities  of  the  heart  are 
so  well  calculated  to  excite  our  admiration,  cannot 
but  be  interesting,  I have  furnished  a few  extracts 
2 L 23 


286 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


from  the  letters  of  Captain  Blakeley,  written  to  me  at 
various  periods.  Having  been  deprived  of  his  father 
at  an  age  when  the  desire  of  knowing  something  of 
his  family  was  beginning  to  be  felt,  it  was  not  in  his 
power  to  gratify  his  inquiries  on  that  subject,  in  a 
satisfactory  manner,  until  May  1811,  when  I had  the 
pleasure  of  opening  a correspondence  with  him. 

‘‘  In  his  first  letter,  dated  on  board  the  United 
States’  brig  Enterprise,  May  9th,  1811,  he  manifested 
his  anxiety  to  obtain  the  wished  for  information,  re- 
lative to  his  connexions,  in  the  following  manner  : — 
‘ It  would  afford  me  great  gratification  to  hear  from 
you  all  the  information  you  possess  respecting  my 
relations.  This  trouble  your  goodness  will  excuse, 
when  I inform  you  that  for  fourteen  years  I have  not 
beheld  one  being  to  whom  I was  bound  by  any  tie  of 
consanguinity.’  In  another  letter,  written  soon  after, 

he  observes,  ‘ The  affection  manifested  by is 

truly  grateful  to  my  heart.  Indeed,  I begin  already 
to  feel  for  her  a filial  regard,  and  the  more  so,  as  it 
was  my  lot  to  lose  my  mother  before  I was  sensible 
of  a mother’s  tenderness.’  In  reply  to  a letter,  in 
which  the  solicitude  for  his  professional  reputation 
was  cordially  expressed  by  the  female  above  alluded 
to,  he  remarks — ‘ Should  I be  fortunate  enough  to 
acquire  any  fame,  my  good  old  friend  will  make 
me  debtor  for  more  than  half  With  her  prayers 
for  my  success  can  I doubt  it  ? I hope  the  last 
Blakeley  who  exists  will  lay  down  his  life  ere  he 
tarnish  tlie  reputation  of  those  who  have  gone  before 
him.  My  father’s  memory  is  very  dear  to  me,  and  I 
trust  his  son  will  never  cast  a reproach  on  it.’  In 
another,  he  observes  ‘ It  is  true  that  in  the  war  in 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


267 


which  we  are  engaged,  we  have  to  contend  under 
great  disadvantages;  but  this  should  stimulate  to 
greater  exertions,  and  we  have  already  seen  that  our 
enemy  is  not  invincible.’  In  a letter,  dated  on  board 
the  Enterprise,  the  29th  of  April,  1813,  he  observes, 
‘ Independent  of  personal  feeling,  I rejoice  at  the  good 
fortune  of  the  navy,  believing  it  to  be  that  description 
of  force  best  adapted  to  the  defence  of  this  country 
I confess  the  success  of  our  sailors  has  been  much 
greater  than  I had  any  reason  to  expect,  taking  into 
view"  the  many  difficulties  they  had  to  encounter. 
The  charm  which  once  seemed  to  have  encircled  the 
British  navy,  and  rendered  its  very  name  formidable, 
appears  to  be  fast  dispelling.’ 

“In  a letter,  dated  Newburyport,  28th  January. 
1814,  he  remarks:  ‘I  shall  ever  view  as  one  of  the 
most  unfortunate  events  of  my  life,  having  quitted  the 
Enterprise  at  the  moment  I did.  Had  I remained  in 
her  a fortnight  longer,  my  name  might  have  been 
classed  with  those  who  stand  so  high.  I cannot  but 
consider  it  a mortifying  circumstance  that  I left  her, 
but  a few  days  before  she  fell  in  with  the  only  enemy 
on  this  station  with  which  she  could  have  creditably 
contended.  I confess  I felt  heartily  glad  when  I re- 
ceived my  order  to  take  command  of  the  Wasp,  con- 
ceiving that  there  was  no  hope  of  doing  any  thing  in 
the  Enterprise.  But  when  I heard  of  the  contest  of 
the  latter  ship,  and  witnessed  the  great  delay  in  the 
equipment  of  the  former,  I had  no  cause  to  congratu- 
late myself  The  Peacock  has  ere  this  spread  her 
plumage  to  the  winds,  and  the  Frolic  will  soon  take 
her  revels  on  the  ocean,  but  the  Wasp  will,  I fear, 
remain  for  some  time  a dull,  harmless  drone  in  the 


268  APPOINTED  TO  THE  WASP. 

waters  of  her  own  country.  Why  this  is,  ,I  am  not 
permitted  to  inquire.’  ” 

These  extracts  will  strike  the  reader  as  being 
strongly  indicative  of  an  amiable  and  heroic  charac- 
ter. There  is  something  touching  in  his  gratitude 
to  the  good  old  lady  who  had  manifested  an  interest 
in  his  successes.  There  is  something  noble  in  his 
reference  to  the  memory  of  his  father,  as  a motive 
stimulating  him  in  the  path  of  honour ; and  there  is 
something  heroic,  we  think,  in  the  unaffected  manner 
in  which  he  expresses  his  regret  at  having  left  the 
Enterprise.  It  is  not  necessary  to  remind  the  reader 
that  it  was  in  the  action  between  that  vessel  and  the 
Boxer  that  Burroughs  conquered,  and  lost  his  life. 
Yet  Blakeley  regretted  he  had  not  been  in  his  place, 
either  because  he  considered  the  sacrifice  of  life  as  a 
cheap  price  for  the  purchase  of  glory,  or  had  forgot, 
in  his  love  of  fame,  that  such  a price  had  been  paid.' 
But  he  was  determined  before  long  to  acquire  at  least 
equal  reputation,  and  to  perish  equally  with  the  re- 
grets of  his  country. 

After  various  services,  which  it  is  unnecessary  to 
particularize,  as  they  afibrded  no  opportunity  to  ac- 
quire distinction,  Blakeley  was  made  a master  com- 
mandant, in  1813,  and  soon  after  appointed  to  the 
Wasp.  In  this  vessel  he  fell  in  with,  in  latitude  48® 
36',  N.,  His  Britannic  Majesty’s  ship  Reindeer, 
mounting  sixteen  twenty-four  pound  carronades,  two 
long  nine-pounders,  and  a shifting  twelve  pound  car- 
ronade ; and  having  a complement  of  one  hundred 
and  eighteen  men.  An  action  commenced ; and,  in 
nineteen  minutes,  ended  in  the  capture  of  the  Reindeer 
The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  twenty-one  killed  and 


Wasp  aad  Reindeer. 


LOSSOFTHEWASP.  271 

wounded ; that  of  the  enemy  sixty-seven.  The  Rein- 
deer was  cut  to  pieces,  in  such  a manner  as  to  render 
it  impossible  to  save  her ; and  she  was  accordingly 
set  on  fire.  After  this  the  Wasp  put  into  L’Orient; 
from  which  port  she  sailed  the  27th  of  August,  and 
four  days  afterwards  falling  in  with  ten  sail  of  mer- 
chantmen, under  convoy  of  a ship  of  the  line,  she 
succeeded  in  cutting  off  one  of  the  vessels. 

The  evening  of  the  1st  of  September,  1814,  she  fell 
in  with  four  sail,  two  on  each  bow, — but  at  consider- 
able distances  from  each  other.  The  first  was  the 
British  brig  of  war  Avon,  which  struck  after  a severe 
action ; but  Captain  Blakeley  could  not  take  posses- 
sion, as  another  enemy  was  now  approaching.  This 
enemy,  it  seems,  however,  was  called  off  to  the  as- 
sistance of  the  Avon,  which  was  now  sinking.  The 
e^nemy  reported  that  they  had  sunk  the  Wasp  by  the. 
first  broadside ; but  she  was  afterwards  spoken  by  a 
vessel  off  the  Western  Isles.  After  this  we  hear  of 
her  no  more ; and  though  her  fate  is  certain,  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  it  are  beyond  the  reach  of  dis- 
covery. The  most  general  impression  is,  that  she 
was  lost  by  one  of  those  casualties  incident  to  the 
great  deep,  which  have  destroyed  so  many  gallant 
vessels,  in  a manner  no  one  knows  how — for  there  are 
so  many  uncertJnties  connected  with  the  unfathom- 
able deep,  that  even  imagination  is  bewildered  in 
tracing  the  fate  of  those  who  are  only  known  to  have 
perished,  because  they  are  never  more  heard  of  or 
seen.  Another  impression  is,  that  the  Wasp,  very 
shortly  after  being  spoken  off  the  Western  Isles,  had 
a severe  engagement  with  a British  frigate,  which  put 
into  Lisbon  in  a shattered  condition ; and  reported 


272  CHARACTER  OF  BLAKELEi'. 

having  had  an  action,  in  the  night,  with  a vessel, 
which  was  not  seen  next  morning,  although  the  whole 
night  had  been  calm. 

But,  whatever  may  have  been  the  fate  of  Blakeley, 
this  much  is  certain, — that  he  will,  to  use  his  own 
expression,  “be  classed  among  those  names  that  stand 
so  high.”  The  lustre  of  his  exploits,  not  less  than 
the  interest  excited  by  those  who  remember  how,  in 
his  very  boyhood,  he  was  left,  as  he  says,  without  a 
single  being  around  him  with  whom  he  could  claim 
kindred  blood, — how,  by  his  merit,  he  obtained 
friends,  and  conferred  honour  on  that  country  which 
was  not  only  his  parent,  but  which  has  become  the 
parent  of  his  only  child, — and  how,  last  of  all,  he 
perished  God  only  knows  how  or  where, — has  all 
given  to  his  character,  his  history,  his  achievements, 
and  his  fate,  a romantic  interest,  marking  the  name 
of  Blakeley  for  lasting  and  affectionate  remembrance. 

In  his  person.  Captain  Blakeley  was  rather  below 
the  middle  stature ; his  eyes  black,  expressive,  intel- 
ligent, and  animated ; his  manners  mild,  manly,  and 
unassuming;  and  his  person  handsome.  Notwith- 
standing his  professional  duties,  which  were  scarcely 
interrupted  from  the  time  of  his  obtaining  a warrant, 
his  literary  and  scientific  acquirements  were  very 
respectable ; and  among  his  brother  officers  he  was 
always  considered  as  a man  of  uncommon  intellect, 
as  well  as  of  great  courage  and  professional  skill. 
He  was  married,  in  December,  1813,  to  Miss  Jane 
Hoope,  the  daughter  of  his  father’s  old  friend,  Mr. 
Hoope,  of  New  York;  and  has  left  an  only  daughter, 
who  has  lately  received  one  of  the  most  noble  and 
substantial  and  affecting  tributes  of  national  gratitude 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 


273 


which  has  occurred  in  the  history  of  this  country. 
The  legislature  of  North  Carolina,  on  the  27th  of 
December,  1816,  after  prescribing  the  destination  of 
the  sword  they  had  voted  to  Captain  Blakeley,  “Re- 
solved, unanimously.  That  Captain  Blakeley’s  child 
be  educated  at  the  expense  of  this  State ; and  that 
Mrs.  Blakeley  be  requested  to  draw  on  the  Treasurer 
of  this  State,  from  time  to  time,  for  such  sums  of 
money  as  shall  be  required  for  the  education  of  the 
said  child.” 

This,  we  repeat  it,  is  substantial  gratitude.  It  is 
classical,  too, — and  reminds  us  of  those  noble  eras 
in  the  history  of  some  of  the  illustrious  states  of 
Greece,  when  the  offspring  of  those  who  had  fallen 
for  their  country,  became  the  children  of  that  country 
whose  cause  had  made  them  fatherless.  It  is  in  this 
way  that  our  states  may  acquire  a sort  of  parental 
character,  that  will  endear  them  still  more  to  the 
hearts  of  the  citizens ; that  will  inspire  fathers  to  die 
in  defence  of  their  country,  and  mothers  to  educate 
their  children  to  follow  the  example.  It  is  in  this 
way,  too,  that  the  different  members  of  the  union  may 
nobly  indulge  their  local  feelings,  and  display  their 
honest  homebred  affections.  Let  them  exemplify 
their  desire  to  appropriate  to  themselves  the  fame  of 
their  distinguished  citizens,  by  their  peculiar  care  in 
honouring  their  memory,  and  cherishing  their  help- 
less orphans.  It  is  thus  that  our  sister  states  ought 
ever  to  display  their  rivalry ; — by  being  as  zealous  to 
reward,  as  they  are  to  appropriate  the  achievements 
of  their  sons.^ 

2 M 


Analectic  Magazine,  vol.  ix. 


STEPHEN  DECATUR. 

N some  families,  it  would 
seem  that  chivalry  runs 
in  the  blood.  The 
Bayards,  Biddles,  and 
Decaturs,  are  born  to  a 
heroic  destiny  by  the 
right  of  inheritance. 
When  we  meet  with 
their  names  in  history? 
we  feel  assured  of  what  is  to  follow ; and  their  most 
daring  feats  hardly  excite  an  emotion  of  surprise. 
Among  the  many  members  of  his  family  distinguished 
fv)i‘  their  bravery,  the  most  celebrated  is  the  subject 
of  tliis  memoir. 


274 


EARI  Y LIFE. 


275 


Commodore  Decatur  was  of  French  descent, 
the  male  line.  His  grandfather  was  a native  of  La 
Rochelle,  in  France,  and  married  a lady  of  Rhode 
Island.  His  father,  Stephen  Decatur,  was  born  in 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and,  when  a very  young  | 

man,  removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  married  the  | 

daughter  of  an  Irish  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Pine.  I 

He  was  bred  to  the  sea,  and  commanded  a merchant  1 

vessel  out  of  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  until  the  esta- 
blishment of  the  navy,  when  he  was  appointed  to  | 

command  the  Delaware  sloop  of  war.  He  continued  j 

in  her  until  the  frigate  Philadelphia  was  built,  when  ^ 

the  command  of  that  ship  was  given  to  him,  at  the  | 

particular  request  of  the  merchants,  who  had  built  | 

her  by  subscription.  In  this  situation  he  remained  i 

until  peace  was  made  with  France,  when  he  resigned  | 

his  commission,  and  retired  to  his  residence,  a few  | 

miles  from  Philadelphia,  where  he  resided  until  his  | 

death,  which  happened  in  November,  1808.  j 

His  son,  Stephen  Decatur,  the  late  Commodore,  | 

was  born  on  the  5th  January,  1779,  on  the  eastern  | 

shore  of  Maryland,  whither  his  parents  had  retired,  j 

while  the  British  were  in  possession  of  Philadelphia.  | 

They  returned  to  that  city  when  he  was  a few  months  I 

old,  and  he  was  there  educated  and  brought  up.  | 

He  entered  the  navy  in  March,  1798,  as  midship- 
man, and  joined  the  frigate  United  States,  under  the 
command  of  Commodore  Barry,  who  had  obtained 
the  warrant  for  him.  He  continued  for  some  time 
v/ith  that  officer,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
lieutenant.  The  United  States  at  that  time  required 
some  repairs,  and,  not  wishing  to  remain  in  port,  he 
requested  an  order  to  join  the  brig  Norfolk,  then 


276  SERVICE  IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN. 


bound  to  the  Spanish  Main.  He  performed  one 
cruise  in  her,  as  first  lieutenant,  and,  on  his  return  to 
port,  resumed  his  station  on  board  the  United  States, 
where  he  remained,  until  peace  was  concluded  with 
France. 

He  was  then  ordered  to  the  Essex,  as  first  lieute- 
nant, and  sailed  with  Commodore  Dale’s  squadron  to 
the  Mediterranean.  On  the  return  of  that  squadron, 
he  was  ordered  to  the  New  York,  one  of  the  second 
Mediterranean  squadron,  under  the  command  of 
Commodore  Morris. 

When  he  returned  to  the  United  States,  he  was 
ordered  to  take  command  of  the  Argus,  and  proceed 
in  her  to  join  Commodore  Preble’s  squadron,  then  in 
the  Mediterranean,  and,  on  his  arrival  there,  to  resign 
the  command  of  the  Argus  to  Lieutenant  Hull,  and 
take  the  schooner  Enterprise,  then  commanded  by  that 
officer.  After  making  that  exchange,  he  proceeded 
to  Syracuse,  where  the  squadron  was  to  rendezvous. 
On  his  arrival  at  that  port,  he  was  informed  of  the 
fate  of  the  frigate  Philadelphia,  which  had  run  aground 
on  the  Barbary  coast,  and  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Tripolitans.  The  idea  immediately  presented  itself 
to  his  mind  of  attempting  her  recapture  or  destruc- 
tion. On  Commodore  Preble’s  arrival,  a few  days 
afterwards,  he  proposed  to  him  a plan  for  the  purpose, 
and  volunteered  his  services  to  execute  it.  The  wary 
mind  of  that  veteran  officer  at  first  disapproved  of  an 
enterprise  so  full  of  peril ; but  the  risks  and  difficulties 
that  surrounded  it,  only  stimulated  the  ardour  of 
Decatur,  and  imparted  to  it  an  air  of  adventure, 
fascinating  to  his  youthful  imagination. 

The  consent  of  the  Commodore  having  been  ob- 


BURNING  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA.  277 

tained,  Lieutenant  Decatur  selected  for  the  expedition 
a ketch  (the  Intrepid)  which  he  had  captured  a few 
weeks  before  from  the  enemy,  and  manned  her  with 
seventy  volunteers,  chiefly  from  his  own  crew.  He 
sailed  from  Syracuse  on  the  3d  of  February,  1804, 
accompanied  by  the  United  States  brig  Syren,  Lieu- 
tenant Stewart,  who  was  to  aid  with  his  boats,  and  to 
receive  the  crew  of  the  ketch,  in  case  it  should  be 
found  expedient  to  use  her  as  a fire  ship. 

After  fifteen  days  of  very  tempestuous  weather, 
they  arrived  at  the  harbour  of  Tripoli,  a little  before 
sunset.  It  had  been  arranged  between  lieutenants 
Decatur  and  Stewart,  that  the  ketch  should  enter  the 
harbour  about  ten  o’clock  that  night,  attended  by  the 
boats  of  the  Syren.  On  arriving  off  the  harbour,  the 
Syren,  in  consequence  of  a change  of  wind,  had  been 
thrown  six  or  eight  miles  without  the  Intrepid.  The 
wind  at  this  time  was  fair,  but  fast  declining,  and 
Lieutenant  Decatur  apprehended  that,  should  he  wait 
for  the  Syren’s  boats  to  come  up,  it  might  be  fatal  to 
the  enterprise,  as  they  could  not  remain  longer  on  the 
coast,  their  provisions  being  nearly  exhausted.  For 
these  reasons  he  determined  to  adventure  into  the 
harbour  alone,  which  he  did  about  eight  o’clock. 

An  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  extreme  hazard  of 
the  enterprise  from  the  situation  of  the  frigate.  She 
was  moored  within  half  gunshot  of  the  Bashaw’s 
castle,  and  of  the  principal  battery.  Two  of  the 
enemy’s  ^cruisers  lay  within  two  cables’  length,  on  the 
starboard  quarter,  and  their  gunboats  within  half  gun 
shot,  on  the  starboard  bow.  All  the  guns  of  the 
frigate  were  mounted  and  loaded.  Such  were  the 
immediate  perils  that  our  hero  ventured  to  encounter 

24 


278  BURNING  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA. 

with  a single  ketch,  beside  the  other  dangers  that 
abound  in  a strongly  fortified  harbour. 

Although  from  the  entrance  to  the  place  where  the 
frigate  lay,  was  only  three  miles,  yet,  in  consequence 
of  the  lightness  of  the  wind,  they  did  not  get  within 
hail  of  her  until  eleven  o’clock.  When  they  had 
approached  within  two  hundred  yards,  they  were 
hailed  and  ordered  to  anchor,  or  they  would  be  fired 
into.  Lieutenant  Decatur  ordered  a Maltese  pilot, 
who  was  on  board  the  ketch,  to  answer  that  they  had 
lost  their  anchors  in  a gale  of  wind  on  the  coast,  and, 
therefore,  could  not  comply  with  their  request.  By 
this  time  it  had  become  perfectly  calm,  and  they  were 
about  fifty  yards  from  the  frigate.  Lieutenant  De- 
catur ordered  a small  boat  that  was  alongside  of  the 
ketch,  to  take  a rope  and  make  it  fast  to  the  frigate’s 
forechains.  This  being  done,  they  began  to  warp  the 
ketch  alongside.  It  was  not  until  this  moment  that 
the  enemy  suspected  the  character  of  their  visitor, 
and  great  confusion  immediately  ensued.  This  en- 
abled our  adventurers  to  get  alongside  of  the  frigate, 
when  Decatur  immediately  sprang  aboard,  followed 
by  Mr.  Charles  Morris,  midshipman.  These  two 
were  nearly  a minute  on  deck,  before  their  com- 
panions could  succeed  in  mounting  the  side.  Fortu- 
nately, the  Turks  had  not  sufficiently  recovered  from 
their  surprise  to  take  advantage  of  this  delay.  They 
were  crowded  together  on  the  quarterdeck,  perfectly 
astonished  and  aghast,  without  making  any  attempt 
to  oppose  the  assailing  party.  As  soon  as  a sufficient 
number  of  our  men  had  gained  the  deck  to  form  a 
front  equal  to  that  of  the  enemy,  they  rushed  in  upon 
them  The  Turks  stood  the  assault  for  a short  time, 


j 


v;-r  ••  f 


^ , A, 

Ji  ’ V 

. - 


):vV;v'vl 


•^;:- 
.;•  A.'.t' 


tlfJBARY 
. OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


M' 


U. 


■i0^' 

•V:‘  .’, 


'riu. 

X 

is 


Burnini'  of  the  Philadelphia. 


BURNIISG  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA.  281 

and  were  completely  overpowered.  About  twenty 
were  killed  on  the  spot,  many  jumped  overboard,  and 
the  rest  flew  to  the  maindeck,  whither  they  were  pur- 
sued and  driven  to  the  hold. 

After  entire  possession  had  been  gained  of  the  ship, 
and  every  thing  prepared  to  set  fire  to  her,  a number 
of  launches  were  seen  rowing  about  the  harbour. 
This  determined  Lieutenant  Decatur  to  remain  on 
board  the  frigate,  from  whence  a better  defence  could 
be  made  than  from  on  board  the  ketch.  The  enemy 
had  already  commenced  firing  on  them  from  their 
batteries  and  castle,  and  from  two  corsairs  that  were 
lying  near.  Perceiving  that  the  launches  did  not 
attempt  to  approach,  he  ordered  the  ship  should  be 
set  on  fire,  which  was  done,  at  the  same  time,  in 
different  parts.  As  soon  as  this  was  done,  they  left 
her;  and  such  was  the  rapidity  of  the  flames,  that 
it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  they  preserved  the 
ketch.  At  this  critical  moment  a most  propitious 
breeze  sprang  up,  blowing  directly  out  of  the  harbour, 
which,  in  a few  moments,  carried  them  out  of  reach 
of  the  enemy’s  guns,  and  they  made  good  their  re- 
treat without  the  loss  of  a single  man,  and  with  but 
four  wounded. 

For  this  gallant  and  romantic  achievement.  Lieu- 
tenant Decatur  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  post 
captain,  there  being  at  that  time  no  intermediate 
grade.  This  promotion  was  peculiarly  gratifying  to 
him,  insomuch  as  it  was  done  with  the  consent  of  the 
officers  over  whose  heads  he  was  raised. 

In  the  ensuing  spring,  it  being  determined  to  make 
an  attack  upon  Tripoli,  Commodore  Preble  obtained 
from  the  King  of  Naples,  the  loan  of  six  gunboats 
2 4*  N 


ATTACK  ON  TRIPOLI. 


282 

and  two  bombards,  which  he  formed  into  two  divi 
sions,  and  gave  the  command  of  one  of  them  to 
Captain  Decatur,  the  other  to  Lieutenant  Somers 
The  squadron  sailed  from  Syracuse,  consisting  of  the 
frigate  Constitution,  the  brig  Syren,  the  schooners 
Nautilus  and  Vixen,  and  the  gunboats. 

Having  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Barbary,  they  were 
for  some  days  prevented  from  making  the  attack, 
by  adverse  wind  and  weather.  At  length,  on  the 
morning  of  the  3d  of  August,  the  weather  being 
favourable,  the  signal  was  made  from  the  Commo- 
dore’s ship  to  prepare  for  action,  the  light  vessels 
towing  the  gunboats  to  windward.  At  nine  o’clock, 
the  signal  was  given  for  bombarding  the  enemy’s 
vessels  and  the  town. 

The  gunboats  were  cast  off,  and  advanced  in  a line 
ahead,  led  on  by  Captain  Decatur,  and  covered  by 
the  frigate  Constitution,  and  the  brigs  and  schooners. 

The  enemy’s  gunboats  were  moored  along  the 
harbour  under  the  batteries  and  within  musket  shot. 
Their  sails  had  been  taken  from  them,  and  they  were 
ordered  to  sink,  rather  than  abandon  their  position. 
They  were  aided  and  covered,  likewise,  by  a brig  of 
sixteen,  and  a schooner  of  ten  guns. 

Before  entering  into  close  action.  Captain  Decatur 
went  alongside  each  of  his  boats,  and  ordered  tnem 
to  unship  their  bowsprits  and  follow  him,  as  it  was 
his  intention  to  board  the  enemy’s  boats. 

Lieutenant  James  Decatur  commanded  one  of  the 
boats  belonging  to  Commodore  Preble’s  division, 
but,  being  farther  to  windward  than  the  rest  of  his 
division,  he  joined  and  took  orders  from  his  brother. 

When  Captain  Decatur,  who  was  in  the  leading 


ATTACK  ON  TRIPOLI. 


283 


boat,  came  within  range  of  the  fire  from  the  batteries, 
a heavy  fire  was  opened  upon  him  from  them  and  the 
gunboats.  He  returned  their  fire,  and  continued 
advancing,  until  he  came  in  contact  with  the  boats. 
At  this  time,  Commodore  Preble  seeing  Decatur  ad- 
vancing nearer  than  he  thought  prudent,  ordered  the 
signal  t:  be  made  for  a retreat,  but  it  was  found  that 
in  maKing  out  the  signals  for  the  boats,  the  one  for  a 
retreat  had  been  omitted. 

The  enemy^s  boats  had  about  forty  men  each;  ours 
an  equal  number,  twenty-seven  of  whom  were  Ameri- 
cans, and  thirteen  Neapolitans. 

Decatur,  on  boarding  the  enemy,  was  instantly 
followed  by  his  countrymen,  but  the  Neapolitans 
remained  behind.  The  Turks  did  not  sustain  the 
combat  hand  to  hand,  with  that  firmness  they  had 
obtained  a reputation  for.  In  ten  minutes  the  deck 
was  cleared.  Eight  of  them  sought  refuge  in  the 
hold,  and,  of  the  rest,  some  fell  on  the  deck,  and 
others  jumped  into  the  sea.  Only  three  of  the  Ame- 
ricans were  wounded. 

As  Decatur  was  about  to  proceed  out  with  his 
prize,  the  boat  which  had  been  commanded  by  his 
brother,  came  under  his  stern,  and  the  men  informed 
him  that  they  had  engaged  and  captured  one  of  the 
enemy ; but  that  her  commander,  after  surrendering, 
had  treacherously  shot  Lieutenant  James  Decatur, 
and  pushed  off  with  the  boat,  and  was  then  making 
for  the  harbour. 

The  feelings  of  the  gallant  Decatur,  on  receiving 
this  intelligence,  may  be  more  easily  imagined  than 
described.  Every  consideration  of  prudence  and 
safety  was  lost  in  his  eagerness  to  punish  so  dastardly 


284  ENCOUNTER  WITH  A TURK. 

an  act,  and  to  revenge  the  death  of  a brother  so 
basely  murdered.  He  pushed  within  the  enemy’s 
line  with  his  single  boat,  and,  having  succeeded  in 
getting  alongside  of  the  retreating  foe,  boarded  her  at 
the  head  of  eleven  men,  who  were  all  the  Americans 
he  had  left.  The  fate  of  this  contest  was  extremely 
doubtful  for  about  twenty  minutes.  All  the  Americans, 
except  four,  were  now  severely  wounded.  Decatur 
singled  out  the  commander  as  the  peculiar  object  of 
his  vengeance.  The  Turk  was  armed  with  an  espon- 
toon,  Decatur  with  a cutlass;  in  attempting  to  cut  off 
the  head  of  the  weapon.  Ids  sword  struck  on  the  iron, 
and  broke  off  close  to  the  hilt.  The  Turk,  at  this 
moment,  made  a push,  which  slightly  wounded  him  in 
the  right  arm  and  breast.  He  immediately  seized  the 
spear,  and  closed  with  him.  A fierce  struggle  ensued, 
and  both  fell,  Decatur  uppermost.  By  this  time  the 
Turk  had  drawn  a dagger  from  his  belt,  and  was 
about  to  plunge  it  into  the  body  of  his  foe,  when 
Decatur  caught  his  arm,  and  shot  him  with  a pistol, 
which  he  drew  from  his  pocket.  During  the  time 
they  w^ere  struggling  on  the  deck,  the  crews  rushed 
to  aid  their  commanders,  and  a most  sanguinary  con- 
flict took  place,  insomuch  that  when  Decatur  had 
despatched  his  adversary,  it  was  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  he  could  extricate  himself  from  the  killed 
and  wounded  that  had  fallen  around  him. 

It  is  with  no  common  feelings  of  admiration  that 
we  record  an  instance  of  heroic  courage,  and  loyal 
self-devotion,  on  the  part  of  a common  sailor. 

During  the  early  part  of  Decatur’s  struggle  with 
the  Turk,  he  was  assailed  in  the  rear  by  one  of  the 
enemy,  who  had  just  aimed  a blow  at  his  head  which 


RETURNS  HOME. 


285 


must  have  proved  fatal;  at  this  fearful  juncture,  a 
noble-hearted  tar,  who  had  been  so  badly  wounded  as 
to  lose  the  use  of  his  hands,  seeing  no  other  means 
of  saving  his  commander,  rushed  between  him  and 
the  uplifted  sabre,  and  received  the  blow  on  his  own 
head,  which  fractured  his  skull.  We  love  to  pause 
and  honour  great  actions  in  humble  life,  because 
they  speak  well  for  human  nature.  Men  of  rank  and 
station  in  society,  often  do  gallant  deeds,  in  a manner, 
from  necessity.  Their  conspicuous  station  obliges 
them  to  do  so,  or  their  eagerness  for  glory  urges 
them  on ; but  an  act  like  this  we  have  mentioned,  so 
desperate,  yet  so  disinterested,  done  by  an  obscure, 
unambitious  individual,  a poor  sailor,  can  spring  from 
nothing  but  nobleness  of  soul.  We  are  happy  to  add 
that  this  generous  fellow  survived,  and  long  after  re- 
ceived a pension  from  government. 

Decatur  succeeded  in  getting,  with  both  his  prizes, 
to  the  squadron,  and  the  next  day  received  the  highest 
commendation,  in  a general  order,  from  Commodore 
Preble.  When  that  able  officer  was  superseded  in 
the  command  of  the  squadron,  he  gave  the  Constitu- 
tion to  Captain  Decatur,  who  had  some  time  before 
received  his  commission.  From  that  ship  he  was  re 
moved  to  the  Congress,  and  returned  home  in  her, 
when  peace  was  concluded  in  Tripoli.  On  his  return 
to  the  United  States,  he  was  employed  in  superin- 
tending gunboats,  until  the  affair  of  the  Chesapeake, 
when  he  was  ordered  to  supersede  Commodore 
Barron  in  the  command  of  that  ship.  When  the 
United  States  was  again  put  in  commission,  he  was 
removed  from  the  Chesapeake  to  that  frigate. 

The  last  war  with  Great  Britain  afforded  Commo 


286  CAPTURE  OF  THE  MACEDONIAN. 

(lore  Decatur  another  opportunity  of  adding  to  the 
laurels  which  he  had  already  won.  On  the  2oth  of 
October,  1812,  in  latitude  29,  N.,  longitude  29,  30, 
W.,  he  fell  in  with  His  Britannic  Majesty’s  ship 
Macedonian,  mounting  forty-nine  carriage  guns,  (the 
udd  gun  shifting.)  She  was  a frigate  of  the  largest 
class,  two  years  old,  four  months  out  of  dock,  and 
reputed  one  of  the  best  sailers  in  the  British  service. 
The  action  we  have  already  described  in  our  notice 
of  Captain  Allen,  and  it  is  only  necessary  here  to  re- 
mark, that  after  lasting  an  hour  and  a half,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  enemy  being  to  windward,  and  having 
the  advantage  of  engaging  at  his  own  distance,  it  ter- 
minated in  the  capture  of  the  Macedonian.  The 
British  ship  lost  her  mizenmast,  fore  and  main-top- 
masts, and  mainyard,  and  was  much  cut  up  in  her 
hull.  The  damage  sustained  by  the  United  States 
was  not  so  much  as  to  render  her  return  into  port 
necessary,  and  hu  ^ Commodore  Decatur  not  deemed 
it  important  to  see  his  prize  in,  he  would  have  con- 
tinued the  cruise. 

The  prize  was  carried  into  New  York  harbour 
and  equipped  as  an  American  frigate.  The  whole 
country  hailed  the  name  of  the  gallant  victor  with 
enthusiastic  admiration.  Congress  and  several  of  the 
State  Legislatures  voted  him  costly  presents,  as  testi- 
monials of  their  high  sense  of  his  services. 

In  1813,  he  attempted  to  gain  the  sea  from  New 
York,  with  the  United  States,  Macedonian,  and 
Hornet,  through  Long  Island  Sound ; but  a British 
squadron  of  superior  force,  compelled  him  to  run  into 
the  Thames  river,  in  Connecticut,  and  he  lay  off  New 
London  for  several  months,  unable  to  run  to  sea. 


United  States  and  Macedonian. 


I 


='87 


y iJ''  ■■ . :“i^v-'V  \p' >^' ‘ ■•  '■  . t 


.V 


V 


I" 

f 

^ -* 


-S 


-rt 

i>Vi 


>' 


n 

''i 


IN  COMMAND  OF  THE  PRESIDENT.  289 

Impatient  of  being  thus  cooped  up  within  sight  of 
the  ocean,  yet  unable  to  reach  it,  he  sent  a challenge 
to  Sir  Thomas  M.  Hardy,  commander  of  the  block- 
ading squadron,  offering  to  meet  two  British  frigates 
with  two  of  his  own.  But  the  offer  was  rejected, 
and  the  frigates  were  at  length  dismantled.  Decatur 
returned  to  New  York,  took  command  of  a squadron 
for  the  East  Indies,  and  nut  to  sea  in  the  President, 
January  14th,  1815.  By  some  mistake  on  the  part 
of  the  pilot,  the  ship  grounded  on  the  bar  in  going 
out.  She  struck  heavily  for  an  hour  and  a half, 
greatly  injuring  her  sailing  thereby. 

The  next  morning,  Decatur  discovered  the  British 
squadron  to  be  in  pursuit,  consisting  of  the  Majestic 
razee,  the  Endymion,  Tenedos  and  Pomona  frigates, 
and  a brig.  The  Endymion  was  soon  perceived  to 
be  the  fastest  ship,  and,  on  this  fact,  the  American 
commander  projected  a plan  of  escape  so  bold  and 
daring,  that  if  successful,  would  have  raised  him  to 
the  summit  of  naval  renown.  He  designed  to  lead 
the  Endymion  from  her  companions,  board  with  ail 
his  crew,  destroy  or  abandon  the  President,  and  es- 
cape in  his  prize.  But  the  enemy  suspected  the  ruse, 
and  carefully  avoided  it,  by  keeping  the  advantage  of 
his  position.  Satisfied  that  he  could  throw  the  En- 
dymion out  of  the  combat  before  the  other  ships  could 
aid  her,  Decatur  tacked  about  and  made  battle, 
crippled  the  enemy,  silenced  her  battery,  and  then 
pursued  his  course  as  before.  But  by  this  time  the 
other  ships  had  approached,  and  opened  their  fire  on 
the  President.  Escape  was  impossible.  To  strive 
against  the  squadron  with  his  single  vessel,  would 
2 0 25 


290  CHASTISES  THE  ALGERINES. 

have  been  an  unjustifiable  risk  of  the  lives  of  his  men. 
Nothing  was  left,  therefore,  but  to  strike  colours,  and 
surrender  to  the  British  commander. 

Soon  after  this  action,  Decatur  returned  to  the 
United  States,  and  was  immediately  despatched  to 
the  Mediterranean,  to  chastise  the  Algerines  for  their 
ravages  upon  our  commerce,  which  the  war  with 
Great  Britain  had  furnished  them  so  favourable  an 
opportunity  of  committing. 

He  captured  an  Algerine  frigate  bearing  forty-nine 
guns,  and  a brig  of  twenty-two  guns  ; and  on  the  22d 
June,  1815,  arrived  before  Algiers,  and  demanded  an 
instant  treaty.  He  demanded  that  all  yearly  tribute, 
or  ransom,  for  prisoners,  should  be  relinquished  ; that 
all  property  taken  from  Americans  should  be  restored 
or  paid  for  ; that  all  Americans  now  in  slavery  should 
he  liberated,  and  none  ever  again  held  as  slaves.  The 
Algerine  negotiator  demurred  on  the  point  of  relin- 
quishing tribute,  contending  that  it  might  be  employed 
as  a precedent  by  the  powers  of  Europe,  and  prove 
destructive  to  the  Dey.  ‘‘  Even  a little  powder,” 
said  he,  “ might  prove  satisfactory.”  ‘‘  If,”  replied 
Decatur,  “ you  insist  upon  receiving  powder  as  tri- 
bute, you  must  expect  to  receive  balls  with  it.”  The 
Algerine  government  negotiated  in  forty-eight  hours, 
and  granted  to  Americans  immunities  and  privileges 
never  before  obtained  by  a Christian  power  from  any 
Barbary  State. 

Decatur  obtained  redress  in  a similarly  summary 
manner  at  Tunis  and  Tripoli,  and,  having  thus  ful- 
filled bis  commission,  he  returned  home  in  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year. 


DEATH  OF  DECATUR. 


201 


At  a subsequent  period  he  was  created  Navy 
Commissioner,  and  made  his  residence  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  at  Kalorama,  formerly  occupied  by  Joel 
Barlow. 

We  now  approach,  with  painful  emotions,  the  last 
sad  act  of  Decatur’s  life,  which  resulted  in  an  un- 
timely and  lamented  death.  In  October  1819,  certain 
expressions  said  to  have  been  used  by  Commodore 
Decatur,  disrespectful  to  Commodore  Barron,  led  to 
a correspondence  between  these  two  officers.  The 
keen  sarcasm  of  Decatur  heightened  the  affront,  and 
though  both  parties  reprobated  duelling,  yet  this  con- 
troversy terminated  most  unhappily  in  a duel.  The 
meeting  took  place  at  Bladensburg,  on  the  morning 
of  the  22d  of  March,  1820.  Both  were  wounded  at 
the  first  fire.  The  wound  of  Barron  was  dangerous 
— that  of  Decatur,  mortal.  The  unfortunate  officer 
was  conveyed  to  his  distracted  wife,  at  Washington, 
and  died  the  same  evening.  An  immense  concourse, 
consisting  of  nearly  the  whole  male  population  of 
Washington  and  the  adjacent  country ; most  of  the 
officers  of  government,  members  of  Congress,  and 
Foreign  Ministers  resident  there,  attended  his  re- 
mains to  the  grave. 

Decatur  was  the  favourite  of  the  navy.  Since  the 
heroic  epoch  of  the  Revolution,  no  comm.ander  has 
won  a more  brilliant  reputation.  In  bravery,  he  had 
no  superior;  in  native  intellectual  abilities,  few  equals. 
He  was  beloved  by  all  who  enjoyed  the  advantage  of 
his  personal  acquaintance,  and  his  popularity  with 
those  over  whom  he  was  placed  in  command  was  un- 
bounded. After  his  first  grand  exploit  at  Tripoli,  no 


292 


CHARACTER. 


success  of  his  valour  ever  excited  surprise.  The 
most  daring  achievements  were  regarded  as  matter 
of  course  wherever  he  led.  Would  to  Heaven  that 
the  gratitude  of  his  country,  as  evinced  towards  his 
family,  had  been  as  unmeasured  as  its  confidence  in 
himself ! 


THOMAS  MACDONOUGH. 


lnr~\l  HOMAS  MAC- 
DONOUGH, the 
father  of  Captain 
Thomas  Macdo- 
was  an 


NOUGH, 

eminent  physician, 
resided  at  a 
called  The 
T rapp,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  New  Castle, 
Delaware.  In  the  year  1775,  he  entered  the  army, 
and  was  appointed  a major  in  a regiment  raised  by 


25* 


293 


294  SERVICES  IN  THE  TRIPOLITAN  WAR. 

the  State  of  Delaware,  of  which  Mr.  John  Hasletl 
was  colonel,  and  the  late  Gunning  Bedford,  lieute- 
nant-colonel. Major  Macdonough,  from  what  cause 
is  not  known,  retired  early  from  the  army,  and  re- 
turned to  the  Trapp.  After  the  establishment  of  our 
independence,  he  was  appointed  a judge,  and  held 
that  office  till  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1796. 
He  left  several  children,  of  whom  three  were  sons. 
The  oldest,  James,  was  a midshipman,  under  Com- 
modore Truxtun,  when  he  took  the  Insurgente,  in 
which  engagement  he  received  a wound  from  a mus- 
ket ball,  that  rendered  the  amputation  of  his  leg 
necessary.  ‘‘  James” — says  the  gentleman  who  fur- 
nished us  with  these  particulars — “ was  very  brave. 
He  was  placed  in  the  tops  when  he  was  wounded, 
and  he  told  me  that  when  the  men  in  the  tops  were 
lowering  him  down,  he  could  distinctly  see  the  enemy 
aiming  and  firing  at  him.”  The  amputation  of  his 
leg  rendered  it  necessary  for  )jiim  to  retire  from  the 
service. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  young  Macdonough, 
the  subject  of  this  memoir,  obtained  a midshipman^s 
warrant.  Of  the  vessels  in  which  he  served,  the 
time  of  his  promotion  to  a lieutenancy,  and  other 
ordinary  circumstances  of  the  life  of  every  naval 
officer,  we  have  not  allowed  ourselves  sufficient  space 
to  give  a minute  detail. 

He  followed  the  fortunes  of  our  little  fleet  in  the 
wars  of  Tripoli,  and,  like  other  young  officers  who, 
on  that  occasion,  first  met  “ grim  visaged  war”  face 
to  face,  was  frequently  engaged  in  those  conflicts 
where  the  Christian  and  Mahometan  prowess  was 
so  severely  tried.  Though,  at  this  time,  grave,  re 


INTREPID  CONDUCT  AT  GIBRALTAR.  295 

served  and  circumspect  in  a remarkable  degree,  we 
are  told,  he  was  then  remarkable  for  a daring  impe- 
tuosity, an  invincible  chivalrous  sort  of  perseverance 
in  every  kind  of  adventure.  In  1806,  he  was  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Siren,  then  lying  in  Gibraltar  har- 
bour, under  the  late  Captain  John  Smith.  A circum- 
stance took  place  here,  which,  as  it  strongly  displays 
that  firmness  which  is  the  strong  feature  of  his  cha- 
racter, we  will  detail  particularly.  It  is  derived  from 
the  most  undoubted  authority;  and  when  we  consider 
what  a vast  difference  is  observable  in  our  feelings 
now  and  at  that  time,  we  cannot  help  greatly  admiring 
the  conduct  of  the  young  lieutenant. 

During  the  forenoon  of  a day,  in  which  Captain 
Smith  was  on  shore,  a merchant  brig,  under  the 
colours  of  the  United  States,  came  into  port,  and 
anchored  ahead,  and  close  to  the  Siren.  Soon  after, 
a boat  was  sent  from  a British  frigate  then  lying  in 
the  harbour,  on  board  this  brig.  After  remaining 
alongside  a little  while,  the  boat  returned  with  one 
man  more  than  she  went  with.  This  circumstance 
attracted  the  notice  of  Macdonough,  who  sent  Lieu- 
tenant Page  on  board  the  brig  to  know  the  particulars 
of  the  affair.  Mr.  Page  returned  with  information 
that  the  man  had  been  impressed  by  the  boat  from 
the  British  frigate,  although  he  had  a protection  as 
an  American  citizen.  Immediately  on  the  receipt  of 
this  information,  Macdonough  ordered  the  Siren’s 
gig  to  be  manned  and  putting  himself  in  her,  went  in 
pursuit  of  the  boat,  determined  to  rescue  his  country- 
man. He  overtook  her,  alongside  the  British  frigate, 
just  as  the  man  at  the  bow  was  raising  his  boathook 
to  reach  the  ship,  and  took  out  the  American  by  force, 


296 


AFFAIR  AT  GIBRALTAR. 


although  the  other  boat  had  sight  oars,  and  his  only 
four,  and  carried  him  on  board  of  the  Siren 

When  the  report  of  this  affair  was  made  to  the 
captain  of  the  British  frigate,  he  came  on  board  the 
Siren  in  a great  rage,  and  desired  to  know  how  Mac- 
don  ough  dared  to  take  a man  from  one  of  His  Ma- 
jesty’s boats.  The  lieutenant,  with  great  politeness, 
asked  him  down  into  the  cabin;  this  he  refused,  at 
the  same  time  repeating  the  same  demand,  with 
abundance  of  threats.  The  Englishman  threw  out 
some  threats  that  he  would  take  the  man  by  force, 
and  said  he  would  haul  the  frigate  alongside  the 
Siren  for  that  purpose.  To  this  Macdonough  re- 
plied, “ he  supposed  his  ship  could  sink  the  Siren, 
hut,  as  long  as  she  could  swim,  he  should  keep  the 
man.”  The  English  captain  said  to  Macdonough — 
You  are  a very  young  man,  and  a very  indiscreet 
young  man  : suppose  I had  been  in  the  boat — what 
would  you  have  done?”  “I  would  have  taken  the 
man,  or  lost  my  life.”  “What,  sir!  would  you  at- 
tempt to  stop  me,  if  I were  now  to  attempt  to  impress 
men  from  that  brig?”  “I  would;  and  \o  convince 
yourself  I would,  you  have  only  to  make  the  attempt.” 
On  this  the  Englishman  went  on  hoard  his  ship,  and 
shortly  afterwards  was  seen,  bearing  her  in  a direc- 
tion for  the  American  merchant  brig.  Macdonough 
ordered  his  boat  manned  and  armed,  got  into  her 
himself,  and  was  in  readiness  for  pursuit.  The 
Englishman  took  a circuit  round  the  American  brig, 
and  returned  again  to  the  frigate.  When  Captain 
Smith  came  on  hoard,  he  justified  the  conduct  of 
Macdonough,  and  declared  his  intention  to  protect 
the  American  seaman. 


ADVENTURE  IN  SYRACUSE.  297 

During  the  continuance  of  the  Tripolitan  war,  our 
ships  occasionally  visited  the  city  of  Syaracuse,  once 
so  famous,  but  now  mouldering  away,  under  that 
wretched  system  of  government  which  has  blasted 
and  withered  one  of  the  fairest  portions  of  this  earth. 

Robberies  and  assassinations  are  the  nightly  amuse- 
ments of  Syracusans,  and  our  officers  in  their  evening 
rambles,  were  frequently  assailed  by  soldiers,  or  fel- 
lows armed  with  knives  or  daggers.  Their  favourite 
mode  of  fighting  is  to  blow  out  the  candles,  and,  in 
that  situation,  their  knives  and  daggers  are  the  most 
dangerous  of  all  weapons.  On  one  occasion,  which 
occurred  in  Syracuse,  Macdonough  was  attacked  by 
three  of  these  desperadoes ; with  his  back  against  a 
door,  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  wound  two,  and  the 
other  took  to  his  heels.  He  was  followed  by  the 
lieutenant,  who  pushed  him  so  hard  that  he  climbed 
up  to  the  roof  of  the  barracks,  whither  Macdonough 
followed  him  still,  and,  finding  no  other  means  of 
escape,  he  jumped  off,  with  the  loss  of  his  life. 

In  the  interval  between  the  Tripolitan  war  and 
that  which  commenced  in  1812,  no  occasion  occurred 
to  our  naval  officers  for  signalizing  themselves,  and 
we  shall  pass  silently  over  this  period  of  Lieutenant 
Macdonough’s  life,  because  it  furnishes  no  incident 
of  sufficient  importance  to  he  interesting  to  the 
reader. 

Among  the  younger  officers  of  the  navy  who  were 
ordered  on  lake  service  during  the  war,  was  Mac- 
donough. His  station  was  Lake  Champlain ; and 
here  he  was  destined  to  perform  a service  which  has 
rendered  his  name  one  of  the  most  illustrious  in  oui 
naval  annals. 

2 P 


298  FORCE  ON  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  summer  of  1814,  it  be- 
came apparent  that  the  enemy  meditated  an  important 
movement  on  the  frontiers  of  New  York  and  Ver- 
mont. Large  bodies  of  troops — veterans  who  had 
seen  service  in  the  Peninsular  war — were  poured  into 
Canada,  and  it  was  known  that  a heavy  detachment 
under  General  Prevost  were  advancing  upon  Platts- 
burg.  A regular  force  quite  inadequate  to  resist  the 
attack  were  awaiting  it,  under  the  command  of 
General  Macomb.  This  able  officer  made  the  best 
disposition  of  his  troops  which  circumstances  would 
permit ; and  the  militia  from  the  neighbouring  regions 
were  coming  in  to  his  support. 

Simultaneously  with  their  operations  on  land,  the 
enemy  were  preparing  for  a decisive  action  on  the 
Lake ; and  Macdonough  put  the  fleet  under  his  com- 
mand in  readiness  for  receiving  him.  His  force 
consisted  of  the  Saratoga,  twenty-six  guns;  the  Eagle, 
twenty  guns  ; the  Ticonderoga,  seventeen  guns ; the 
Preble,  seven  guns ; and  ten  galleys,  carrying  six- 
teen ; — in  the  whole,  eighty-six  guns. 

The  British  force  was  greater ; the  frigate  Con- 
fiance,  thirty-nine  guns;  the  Linnet,  sixteen  guns; 
the  Finch,  eleven  guns ; and  thirteen  gallies,  carrying 
eighteen  guns ; — in  all,  ninety-five  guns ; nine  more 
than  were  In  the  American  fleet ; their  complement 
of  men  was  much  greater.  The  calmness  of  this 
Lake  permitted  heavy  armaments  in  comparatively 
light  vessels ; and  of  this  circumstance  the  British 
availed  themselves  to  the  utmost,  giving  their  com- 
modore a ship  equal  in  force  to  the  President  or  the 
Constitution,  with  which  he — being  a veteran  com- 
mander— made  sure  of  capturing  the  young  officer. 


IIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN.  301 

ranking  as  lieutenant,  who  was  his  opponent  in  a Hag 
ship  of  twenty-six  guns.  But  “ the  race  is  not  always 
to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong ^ Skill, 
discipline,  address,  seamanship  and  coolness  go  for 
something ; and  in  this  battle  they  were  put  in  re- 
quisition with  admirable  effect  against  superior  force, 
and  the  daring  manoeuvre  of  coming  down  head  on 
upon  an  enemy’s  line. 

The  assaults  of  the  British  were  simultaneously 
made  by  land  and  water,  on  the  11th  of  September. 
At  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning,  the  British  fleet 
was  seen  approaching;  and,  in  an  hour,  the  action  be- 
came general.  It  is  thus  described  by  Macdonough, 
in  his  official  letter : 

“ At  nine,”  he  says, the  enemy  anchored  in  a line 
ahead,  at  about  three  hundred  yards  distant  from  my 
line;  his  ship  opposed  to  the  Saratoga;  his  brig  to 
the  Eagle,  Captain  Robert  Henley ; his  galleys — thir- 
teen in  number — to  the  schooner,  sloop  and  a division 
of  our  galleys  ; one  of  his  sloops  assisting  their  ship 
and  brig ; the  other  assisting  their  galleys  ; our  re- 
maining galleys  were  with  the  Saratoga  and  Eagle. 

“ In  this  situation,  the  whole  force  on  both  sides 
became  engaged  ; the  Saratoga  suffering  much  from 
the  heavy  fire  of  the  Confiance.  I could  perceive,  at 
the  same  time,  however,  that  our  fire  was  very  de- 
structive to  her.  The  Ticonderoga,  Lieutenant  com- 
mandant Cassin,  gallantly  sustained  her  full  share  of 
the  action.  At  half  past  ten,  the  Eagle,  not  being 
able  to  bring  her  guns  to  bear,  cut  her  cable,  and 
anchored  in  a more  eligible  position,  between  my  ship 
and  the  Ticonderoga,  where  she  very  much  annoyed 

26 


302  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

the  enemy,  but,  unfortunately,  leaving  me  much  ex- 
posed to  a galling  fire  from  the  enemy’s  brig. 

“ Our  guns  on  the  starboard  side  being  nearly^all 
dismounted  or  unmanageable,  a stern  anchor  was  let 
go,  the  bower  cable  cut,  and  the  ship  winded,  with  a 
fresh  broadside  on  the  enemy’s  ship,  which  soon  after 
surrendered.  Our  broadside  was  then  sprung  to 
bear  on  the  sloop,  which  surrendered  about  fifteen 
minutes  afterwards.  The  sloop  which  was  opposed 
to  the  Eagle,  had  struck  some  time  before,  and  drifted 
down  the  line.  The  sloop  that  was  with  their  galleys 
had  also  struck.  Our  galleys  were  about  obeying 
with  alacrity  the  signal  to  follow  them,  when  all  the 
vessels  were  reported  to  me  to  be  in  a sinking  state. 
It  then  became  necessary  to  annul  the  signal  to  the 
galleys,  and  order  their  men  to  the  pumps.  I could 
only  look  at  the  enemy’s  galleys  going  off  in  a shat- 
tered condition,  for  there  was  not  a mast  in  either 
squadron  that  could  stand  to  make  sail  on.  The 
lower  rigging  being  nearly  shot  away,  hung  down  as 
though  it  had  just  been  placed  over  the  mastheads. 

The  Saratoga  had  fifty-five  round  shot  in  her 
hull ; the  Confiance,  one  hundred  and  five.  The 
enemy’s  shot  passed  principally  over  our  heads,  as 
there  were  not  twenty  whole  hammocks  in  the  net- 
tings, at  the  close  of  the  action,  which  lasted  without 
intermission  two  hours  and  twenty  minutes. 

“ The  absence  and  sickness  of  Lieutenant  Ray- 
mond Perry  left  me  without  the  assistance  of  that 
excellent  officer.  Much  ought  fairly  to  be  attributed 
to  him  for  his  great  care  and  attention  in  disciplining 
the  ship’s  crew,  as  her  first  lieutenant.  His  place 


CO]\SEQUENCES  OF  THE  VICTORY.  303 

was  filled  by  a gallant  young  officer,  Lieutenant  Peter 
Gamble  ; who,  I regret  to  inform  you,  was  killed 
early  in  the  action.” 

The  Saratoga  was  twice  set  on  fire  during  the 
action,  by  hot  shot  from  the  Confiance ; but  the  fiames 
were  soon  extinguished. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  result  of  this  victory  was 
the  utter  disheartening  of  General  Prescott  and  his 
army,  and  their  instantaneous  retreat.  So  sensible 
were  the  people  of  New  York  and  Vermont  of  the 
fact  that  the  good  conduct  of  Macdonough  had  saved 
them  from  the  ravages  of  an  invading  army,  that  they, 
by  the  action  of  their  representatives,  made  him  large 
grants  of  lands  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Lake. 
The  cities  of  New  York  and  Albany  followed  the 
example.  He  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  post 
captain,  and  received  from  Congress  a gold  medal,  in 
commemoration  of  the  victory. 

“ From  the  close  of  the  war  to  the  time  of  his  de 
cease,  he  shaded  the  honours  of  the  home  and  foreign 
service  with  his  compeers.  He  was  an  excellent 
member  of  courts  martial,  for  he  brought  to  those 
tribunals  a candid  mind,  ever  ready  to  find  matters 
that  made  in  favour  (jf  the  accused  as  wdl  as  against 
him.  We  have  an  opportunity  of  speaking  from  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  fact,  that  on  several 
courts  martial,  the  accused  have  congratulated  them- 
selves, that  all  that  was  brought  against  them  was  to 
be  considered  by  such  a mind  as  Macdonough’s ; at 
the  same  time,  they  were  not  wanting  in  justice  to 
other  honourable  members. 

For  several  years  before  his  death,  he  made  his 
home  in  Middleton,  Connecticut,  where  he  had  mar- 


304  CHARACTER  OF  MACDONOUGH. 

ried  Miss  Shaler,  a lady  of  a highly  respectable  family 
in  that  place.  He  died  of  a consumption,  on  the 
tenth  day  of  November,  1825.  His  wife  had  paid 
the  debt  of  nature  a few  months  before  him. 

“ In  person,  Macdonough  was  tall,  dignified,  and 
commanding.  His  features  were  pleasing;  his  com- 
plexion, hair  and  eyes  were  light;  but  there  was  such 
a firmness  and  steadfastness  in  his  look  as  to  take 
away  all  appearance  of  the  want  of  masculine  energy, 
which  is  often  attached  to  the  idea  of  a delicate  com- 
plexion. The  great  charm  of  his  character  was  the 
refinement  of  his  taste,  the  purity  of  his  principles, 
and  the  sincerity  of  his  religion ; these  gave  a perfume 
to  his  name,  which  the  partial  page  of  history  seldom 
can  retain  for  departed  warriors,  however  brilliant 
their  deeds.’’* 

* Portrait  Gallery. 


JAMES  BIDDLE. 


gallant  and  accomplished 
officer  is  the  son  of  Charles 
Biddle,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  was  born  on  the  18th  of 
February,  1783.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  made  great  progress  in  clas- 
sical studies,  and  acquired  a taste  for  literature,  which, 
in  the  intervals  of  professional  duty,  he  has  since 
assiduously  cultivated. 

In  the  year  1800,  the  navy  of  the  United  States 
offered  the  most  brilliant  prospects  to  the  aspiring 
youth  of  our  country.  It  had  acquired  fame  in  the 
wa«*  with  France,  and,  under  the  favour  of  the  govern- 
ment, was  rapidly  increasing.  The  success  of  Cap- 
tain Truxtun  in  his  actions  with  the  French  frigates 
Insurgente  and  Vengeance,  had  conferred  glory  upon 
himself  and  given  new  eclat  to  the  navy.  To  this 
distinguished  commander,  Mr.  Charles  Biddle  en- 
trusted the  care  of  his  two  sons,  James  and  Edward. 
On  quitting  the  L^niversity,  they  obtained  midship- 
2 26*  305 


306  SERVICE  IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN. 

men’s  warrants ; were  attached  to  the  frigate  Presi- 
dent, then  fitting  at  New  York,  and  sailed  for  the 
West  Indies,  in  the  month  of  September,  1800.  In 
consequence  of  the  cessation  of  hostilities  with 
France,  their  cruise  was  of  short  duration,  nor  did  it 
afford  any  opportunity  for  an  engagement.  It  was 
rendered  fatally  memorable,  however,  to  the  subject 
of  this  memoir  and  to  his  family,  by  the  melancholy 
loss  of  Mr.  Edward  Biddle,  who  died  at  sea  of  a 
fever,  after  a short  illness.  The  extraordinary  genius 
and  acquirements  of  this  young  gentleman,  had  given 
him  an  exalted  name  among  his  cotemporaries.  To 
his  friends  he  was  endeared  by  the  possession  of  the 
most  amiable  and  attractive  qualities,  the  kindest 
feelings,  and  the  warmest  sensibility,  united  with  the 
utmost  fearlessness  of  character,  and  a disposition  the 
most  generous,  frank,  and  high-minded. 

On  the  return  of  the  President  to  the  United  States, 
1801,  the  navy  was  reduced  to  a small  peace  establish- 
ment, in  which  Mr.  Biddle  was  retained  as  a mid- 
shipman. Early  in  1802,  he  sailed  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean in  the  frigate  Constellation,  Captain  Murray. 
The  object  of  our  squadron  in  that  sea  was  to  protect 
American  vessels  chiefly  against  Tripoline  cruisers. 
In  performing  this  service,  the  Constellation  visited 
?.  great  variety  of  places.  The  islands  and  shores  of 
the  Mediterranean  present  many  interesting  remains 
of  antiquity,  and  Mr.  Biddle,  availing  himself  of  all 
his  opportunities  of  observing  them,  was  frequently 
enabled  to  indulge  the  enthusiasm  of  a scholar  when 
he  treads  upon  classic  ground. 

As  the  seamen  in  the  United  States  service  were 
at  that  time  enlisted  for  one  year  only,  the  cruises  of 


SURRENDER  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA.  307 

our  public  vessels  were  rarely  protracted  beyond  that 
period.  The  Constellation,  therefore,  returned  home 
in  the  spring  of  1803,  was  dismantled  and  laid  up  at 
Washington.  Mr.  Biddle  was  transferred  to  the 
frigate  Philadelphia,  Captain  Bainbridge,  and  sailed 
again  for  the  Mediterranean  in  July,  1803.  The 
fate  of  this  unfortunate  ship  is  well  remembered.  On 
the  31st  October,  1803,  olf  the  coast  of  Tripoli,  she 
struck  upon  a rock  not  laid  down  in  any  charts  ex- 
tant, and  unknown  to  any  of  our  vessels  which  had 
previously  frequented  that  coast.  After  every  effort 
to  get  her  afloat  had  failed,  and  all  resistance  to  the 
enemy’s  gunboats  had  become  unavailing,  the  colours 
of  the  Philadelphia  were  hauled  down,  and  Mr.  Por- 
ter, the  first  lieutenant,  and  Midshipman  Biddle  were 
despatched  to  inform  of  their  surrender.  As  they 
approached  the  Tripoline  gunboats  they  were  hailed 
and  ordered  by  each  one  to  his  own  vessel.  One  of 
them  fired  a shot  at  the  American  boat,  and  Lieute- 
nant Porter,  inferring  that  he  who  fired  was  the 
commanding  officer,  rowed  towards  him,  though  his 
gunboat  was  at  a greater  distance.  The  nearer  gun- 
boats finding  the  American  barge  passing  them, 
manned  their  boats  to  take  possession  of  her.  As 
they  were  coming  alongside.  Lieutenant  Porter  and 
Mr.  Biddle  were  prepared  to  deliver  up  their  swords, 
but  this  ceremony  was  dispensed  with.  Nearly 
twenty  men  of  ferocious  appearance,  armed  with 
sabres,  pistols,  and  muskets,  jumped  into  the  boat, 
and  at  once  commenced  their  work  of  insult  and  of 
plunder.  Two  of  them  snatched  Mr.  Biddle’s  sword, 
pulled  off  his  coat,  and  began  to  fight  for  it,  until  at 
length,  probably  to  decide  their  dispute,  they  returned 


308 


CAPTIVITY. 


it  to  him.  His  cravats  were  violently  torn  from  his 
neck^  his  waistcoat  and  shirt  opened,  and  his  breast 
exposed,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  very  naturally  in- 
ferred, of  perpetrating  their  horrid  vengeance ; though 
their  intention,  it  appeared,  was  only  to  search  for 
valuables  that  might  be  concealed  about  his  person. 
They  searched  all  his  pockets,  and  took  all  his  papers 
and  money,  except  twenty  dollars  in  gold,  which  he 
had  slipped  into  his  hoots  and  thereby  secured.  The 
officers  and  crew  of  the  boat  were  then  carried  on 
shore,  conducted  amidst  the  shouts  and  acclamations 
of  a barbarous  rabble  to  the  palace  gates,  and  ushered 
into  the  presence  of  the  bashaw,  who,  seated  in  state, 
and  surrounded  by  his  ministers  and  his  guards,  was 
ready  to  receive  them  in  the  audience  chamber.  He 
asked  a variety  of  questions,  principally  about  the 
ship  and  the  American  squadron.  In  this  situation, 
ignorant  of  the  fate  of  their  companions,  and  doubtful 
of  their  own,  they  continued  a considerable  time, 
until  at  length  the  remaining  officers  and  crew,  after 
being  plundered  and  stripped  of  almost  all  their 
clothes,  were  hurried  in  a tumultuous  manner  from  the 
ship,  and  having  been  inspected  by  the  bashaw,  were 
conducted  to  the  place  assigned  for  their  safe-keeping. 

There  is  scarcely  any  subject  which  the  imagina- 
tion can  present  to  us  more  full  of  horror  than  that 
of  slavery  among  the  barbarians  of  Africa.  Such 
was  the  impression  of  the  prisoners  themselves,  as 
well  as  of  their  countrymen.  It  will  readily  be  be- 
lieved, therefore,  that  no  event  ever  excited  more 
feeling  in  this  country,  than  the  loss  of  the  frigate 
Philadelphia,  and  the  captivity  of  her  officers  and 
crew.  Their  story  has  been  frequently  told,  and 


CAPTIVITY. 


309 


although  no  violence  was  offered  to  their  persons, 
yet  a close  and  rigorous  confinement,  the  want  of 
air,  of  exercise,  and  of  employment — perpetual  un- 
certainty in  regard  to  their  fate,  and  occasional 
threats  by  the  bashaw  of  his  vengeance,  were  circum- 
stances calculated  to  impair  the  health  and  break  the 
spirits  of  the  strongest  and  most  resolute.  Yet  they 
preserved  their  health  and  their  spirits  unbroken. 
Happily  the  officers  were  confined  together,  and, 
being  strongly  attached  to  their  commander  and  to 
each  other,  they  lived  in  the  greatest  harmony  and 
mutual  confidence.  It  was  a point  of  honour  to  be 
firm  and  cheerful,  to  disregard  the  threats  of  the 
barbarians,  and  to  sustain  by  an  unconquerable  forti- 
tude the  character  of  their  country.  The  solicitude 
of  Mr.  Biddle’s  family  induced  them  to  take  some 
steps  for  his  private  ransom,  but  he  discountenanced 
these  attempts,  and  declared  that  until  his  country 
should  wholly  abandon  them,  he  would  share  the 
fortunes  of  his  fellow  prisoners.  His  opinion  uni- 
formly was  that  their  release  might  and  ought  to  be 
obtained  by  a proper  exertion  of  the  force  of  the 
United  States.  Among  the  circumstances  which 
alleviated  the  condition  of  the  prisoners,  it  would  be 
unjust  to  omit  the  kind  and  unremitted  attentions  of 
the  Danish  consul,  Mr.  Nissen,  rendered  at  all  times, 
in  every  practicable  way,  and  often  at  a very  great  per- 
sonal hazard.  To  Sir  Alexander  Ball,  the  British 
governor  of  Malta,  Mr.  Biddle  had  delivered  letters 
of  personal  introduction,  and,  during  his  confinement, 
that  gallant  officer  and  amiable  man  was  very  atten- 
tive to  him.  He  maintained  a friendly  correspond- 
ence with  Mr.  Biddle,  interested  the  British  consul 


310 


GUNBOAT  SERVICE. 


at  Tripoli  in  his  behalf,  and  furnished  him  with 
occasional  supplies  from  Malta  that  were  highly 
acceptable. 

After  a confinement  of  more  than  nineteen  months, 
the  prisoners  obtained  their  liberation  in  consequence 
of  the  peace  with  Tripoli,  and  in  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember, 1805,  Captain  Bainbridge  and  Mr.  Biddle, 
who  had  not  separated  since  the  loss  of  the  frigate, 
returned  together  to  Philadelphia.  They  had  arrived 
at  Hampton  Roads  and  travelled  northward  by  Land, 
and  such  was  the  public  sympathy  towards  Captain 
Bainbridge  and  his  ofiicers,  united  with  the  opinion 
entertained  of  their  good  conduct,  that  they  were  re- 
ceived every  where  on  their  route  with  the  greatest 
marks  of  distinction. 

A court  of  inquiry,  which  had  been  previously  held 
in  the  Mediterranean,  completely  justified  the  sur- 
render of  the  ship ; nor  is,  indeed,  any  thing  further 
now  necessary  to  satisfy  the  country  that  its  flag  was 
not  weakly  defended  on  that  occasion,  than  to  repeat 
the  names  of  Bainbridge  and  Porter  and  Jones  and 
Biddle,  who  were  among  the  ofiicers  of  the  Phila- 
delphia. 

Upon  his  release  from  captivity,  Mr.  Biddle  was 
promoted  to  a lieutenancy,  and  after  remaining  at 
home  but  a few  weeks,  he  was  ordered  to  the  com- 
mand of  one  of  the  gunboats,  then  lying  at  Charleston. 
He  cruised  for  some  time  on  the  southern  coast, 
which  had  been  infested  by  privateers,  in  company 
with  the  frigate  Adams,  and  afterwards  in  company 
with  the  brig  Hornet;  he  was  also  employed  by  order 
of  the  navy  department  in  making  a survey  of  the 
harbour  of  Beaufort,  South  Carolina.  The  principal 


GUNBOAT  SERVICE. 


311 


rendezvous  was  the  port  of  Charleston.  Here  Lieu- 
tenant Biddle  received,  besides  the  usual  hospitality 
of  the  place,  the  most  distinguished  civilities  as  the 
nephew  of  Captain  Nicholas  Biddle,  who  had  been 
extensively  known  and  highly  respected  there  during 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  whose  last  expedition 
had  been  fitted  out  at  that  port. 

He  remained  on  this  station  during  the  winter  of 
1805-6,  and  until  the  month  of  June;  when,  finding 
the  gunboat  service  vt  ^ inactive  and  irksome,  he 
obtained  a furlough  and  proceeded  to  Philadelphia. 
Here  he  continued  until  the  following  spring;  when 
he  made  a voyage  to  China  as  first  officer  of  a mer- 
chant ship.  While  absent  on  this  voyage,  the  em- 
bargo law  was  passed,  and  immediately  on  his  return 
he  was  placed  under  the  command  of  Commodore 
Murray,  in  the  Delaware  flotilla,  employed  to  enforce 
the  embargo.  The  gunboat  service  was  almost  the 
only  one  in  which  our  officers  could  find  employment 
at  that  period,  the  Chesapeake  being  the  only  frigate 
in  commission.  But  in  January,  1809,  Congress 
authorised  the  equipment  of  several  of  the  frigates, 
and  Captain  Bainbridge  being  appointed  to  command 
the  President,  selected  Mr.  Biddle  as  his  second 
lieutenant.  When  Captain  Bainbridge,  in  May, 
1810,  obtained  a furlough  and  relinquished  the  com- 
mand of  the  President,  Lieutenant  Biddle  was  directed 
to  take  charge  of  the  Syren  sloop  of  war,  whose 
commander  was  sick  on  shore,  and  carry  her  from 
Philadelphia  to  Hampton  Roads ; he  there  quitted 
the  Syren  on  the  recovery  of  her  captain,  and  joined 
the  Constitution  frigate.  Captain  Hull.  At  this  time 
the  minds  of  our  naval  officers  were  strongly  excited 


312 


PRESENTEL  TO  NAPOLEOJV. 


against  the  British,  in  consequence  of  the  attack  on 
the  frigate  Chesapeake,  and  other  subsequents  events 
of  an  irritating  nature.  A British  frigate  had  been 
cruising  off  the  capes  of  Virginia,  and,  as  it  was 
known  that  the  PresHent  was  about  to  put  to  sea, 
and  the  impression  very  gent;.:*”;y  among  the  officers 
was,  that  in  case  of  meeting  a British  frigate  a battle 
would  take  place,  Lieutenant  Biddle  applied  to  Com- 
modore Rodgers  to  be  ordered  to  the  President, 
which  was  then  short  of  her  complement  of  lieute- 
nants. He  accordingly  went  on  board  that  ship, 
which  sailed  in  a day  or  two  after,  but  did  not  meet 
any  British  cruiser.  The  President  being  laid  up  at 
New  London  for  the  winter.  Lieutenant  Biddle  left 
her,  and  soon  after  made  a voyage  to  Lisbon.  In 
December,  1811,  he  sailed  as  bearer  of  despatches 
from  our  government  to  the  American  minister  in 
France,  and  remained  in  Paris  nearly  four  months, 
during  which  he  was  presented  to  the  Emperor 
Napoleon,  and  attended  all  the  parties  given  at  the 
Thuileries. 

In  these  active  and  diversified  scenes,  many  oppor- 
tunities occurred,  both  on  public  duty  and  in  private 
life,  to  display  a character  of  firmness  and  decision, 
jealous  of  personal  honour,  and  aspiring  to  deeds  of 
enterprise  and  of  fame. 

Very  soon  after  his  return  from  France,  the  wai 
took  place  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain.  When  the  news  of  its  declaration  reached 
Philadelphia,  Lieutenant  Biddle  was  not  attached 
to  any  vessel,  and  being  extremely  anxious  to  avail 
himself  of  the  first  chance  of  service,  he  repaired 
immediately  to  New  York,  in  order  to  volunteer  his 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  WASP.  313 

services  to  Commodore  Rodgers,  who  then  com- 
manded the  frigate  President.  On  his  arrival,  he 
found,  to  his  extreme  disappointment,  that  the  Presi- 
dent had  sailed  but  a few  hours  before,  and  in  com- 
pany with  all  the  vessels  of  the  squadron,  except  the 
frigate  Essex,  which  was  then  not  quite  in  readiness 
for  sea.  To  Captain  Porter,  Lieutenant  Biddle  next 
applied  to  be  received  on  board  the  Essex,  and  this 
gallant  officer  readily  accepted  his  services.  But, 
unfortunately  for  Lieutenant  Biddle,  he  was  superior 
in  rank  to  all  the  lieutenants  of  the  Essex,  who  were 
very  naturally  unwilling  to  receive  an  officer  by  whom 
they  would  be  outranked.  To  their  representations  on 
the  subject,  Captain  Porter  could  not,  from  motives 
of  justice  as  well  as  delicacy  towards  his  officers,  be 
indifferent,  and  Lieutenant  Biddle  saw  the  Essex 
put  to  sea  without  his  being  able  to  share  in  the 
dangers  and  glory  of  her  cruise. 

Disappointed  in  his  most  ardent  wishes  at  the 
moment  when  he  expected  to  realise  them,  he  now 
hastened  to  the  city  of  Washington  and  solicited 
employment.  But  there  being  no  public  vessels  in 
commission  within  the  United  States,  he  then  re- 
quested from  the  Secretary  an  order  to  join  one  of 
the  frigates  on  their  return  into  port : but  all  of  them 
had  their  full  complement  of  officers.  He  therefore 
returned  to  Philadelphia,  mortified  at  the  failure  of 
all  his  efforts  to  get  to  sea.  From  this  despondency 
he  was  relieved  by  the  arrival,  in  the  Delaware,  of 
the  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  Captain  Jones,  with  de- 
spatches from  France.  This  vessel  had  not  her  full 
complement  of  officers,  and  Lieutenant  Biddle  im- 
2R  27 


314 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  FROLIC. 


mediately  procured  an  order  to  join  her  as  first 
lieutenant. 

The  Wasp  went  to  sea  on  the  13th  of  October, 
1812,  and  on  the  18th  fell  in  with  and  captured  the 
British  sloop  of  war  Frolic.  As  we  have  given  a 
full  account  of  this  action,  in  the  life  of  Commodore 
Jones,  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  page  191,  where 
he  will  notice  the  details  of  the  action,  and  the  con- 
spicuous part  taken  in  it  by  Lieutenant  Biddle,  who 
was  ordered  to  take  charge  of  the  prize. 

Soon  after  the  action  the  two  vessels  separated, 
and,  in  a few  minutes  more,  the  Frolic’s  mainmast 
and  foremast  went  by  the  board;  her  bowsprit  had 
been  carried  away  by  running  foul.  Lieutenant 
Biddle  was  ordered  by  Captain  Jones  to  rig  jury- 
masts,  and  make  his  way,  with  the  prize,  to  a southern 
port  of  the  United  States.  Unfortunately,  however, 
a large  ship  hove  in  sight,  to  windward,  which  proved 
to  be  the  Poictiers,  a British  seventy-four,  and  as  the 
Frolic  was  totally  dismasted,  and  the  Wasp  so  dis- 
abled in  her  rigging,  and  in  her  sails,  as  to  be  in- 
capable of  escaping  immediately,  both  vessels  were 
taken  by  the  Poictiers.  Captain  Jones  and  his 
officers  were  carried  to  Bermuda,  and  after  a short 
detention  there,  were  released  upon  their  parole,  and 
returned  to  the  United  States. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  the  exultation  produced 
in  this  country,  by  a victory  so  decisive  over  a British 
vessel  of  superior  force.  Public  honours  were  libe- 
rally, and  most  justly  awarded  to  Captain  Jones. 
Of  the  part  borne  in  this  memorable  action  by  Lieu- 
tenant Biddle,  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  the  follow- 


REWARDS  OF  VALOUR. 


315 


ing  extract  from  the  official  letter  of  Captain  Jones. 

Lieutenant  Biddle’s  active  conduct  contributed 
much  to  our  success,  by  the  exact  attention  paid  to 
every  department  during  the  engagement,  and  the 
animating  example  he  afforded  the  crew  by  his  in- 
trepidity.” 

The  legislature  of  his  native  state,  voted  Lieutenant 
Biddle  a sword,  and  the  thanks  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Pennsylvania,  for  his  distinguished  gallantry  and 
skill.  By  a resolution  of  the  legislature  of  Maryland, 
the  governor  of  that  state  was  requested  to  address 
letters  to  Captain  Jones  and  Lieutenant  Biddle,  ex- 
pressive of  the  very  high  sense  entertained  of  their 
conduct  and  services,  in  the  capture  of  the  British 
sloop  of  war  Frolic,  of  superior  force.  The  Penn- 
sylvania Society  of  Cincinnati,  elected  Lieutenant 
Biddle  an  honorary  member  of  their  body.  A testi- 
monial still  more  interesting  to  the  feelings  of  Lieu- 
tenant Biddle,  was  offered  to  him  by  a number  of 
highly  respectable  gentleman  of  Philadelphia.  In  a 
letter,  addressed  to  him  by  their  committee,  they 
observe, 

“ Whilst  your  country  confers  upon  you  those  dis- 
tinguished marks  of  approbation,  which  are  ever  due 
to  merit  and  to  valour,  a number  of  the  personal 
friends  and  companions  ui  your  youth,  are  desirous 
of  attesting  to  you  their  esteem,  and  of  perpetuating 
the  remembrance  of  your  private  worth.  With  this 
view,  they  have  directed  us,  as  their  committee,  to 
present  to  you,  in  their  name,  a silver  urn,  bearing 
upon  it  an  appropriate  inscription,  and  a representa- 
tion of  the  action  between  the  Wasp  and  the  Frolic, 


316 


IN  COMMAND  OF  THE  HORNET. 


in  which  you  so  conspicuously  assisted  to  exalt  the 
naval  character  of  our  country/’ 

Congress  voted  a gold  medal  to  Captain  Jones, 
and  a silver  medal  to  each  of  the  commissioned 
officers  of  the  Wasp,  and  gave  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  to  the  officers  and  crew,  for  the  capture  of 
the  Frolic. 

Upon  his  exchange.  Lieutenant  Biddle  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  master-commandant,  and  re- 
ceived the  command  of  the  gunboats,  stationed  to 
protect  the  bay  of  Delaware  from  the  incursions  of 
the  British.  But,  before  the  whole  flotilla  was 
completed,  an  opportunity  of  a more  active  command 
was  oflered  by  the  return  into  port  of  the  Hornet 
sloop  of  war.  Captain  Lawrence,  in  consequence 
of  his  promotion,  having  quitted  her  to  command  a 
frigate,  Captain  Biddle  applied  for,  and  obtained  the 
command  of  the  Hornet,  then  lying  at  New  York. 
His  orders  were  to  join  the  frigate  Chesapeake,  then 
at  Boston,  and  nearly  ready  for  a cruise.  These 
vessels  were  to  meet  at  sea,  and  cruise  together,  for 
the  purpose  of  intercepting  the  naval  and  military 
stores  of  the  enemy,  coming  from  England,  and  also 
their  trade  to  the  St.  Lawrence.  By  the  capture  of 
the  Chesapeake,  the  enemy  became  possessed  of  all 
the  signals,  and  the  instructions  from  the  navy  de- 
partment, in  consequence  of  which  a frigate  and 
several  other  vessels  were  despatched  in  pursuit  of 
the  Hornet.  Previously  to  this,  however,  as  soon 
as  the  Hornet  was  ready  for  sea.  Captain  Biddle 
sailed  in  company  with  the  frigates  United  States 
and  Macedonian  from  New  York,  through  the  sound. 


BLOCKADE  OF  NEW  LONDON.  317 

there  being  a large  British  force  then  off  Sandy 
Hook.  On  the  first  of  June,  they  were  met  off  the  east 
end  of  Long  Island  by  a superior  force  of  the  enemy, 
and  chased  into  New  London.  The  Hornet  being 
very  deep  was  nearly  overtaken,  and  was  obliged  to 
start  her  water,  in  order  to  lighten.  Our  ships  pro- 
ceeded up  the  river ; were  moored  across  it  to  defend 
themselves,  and  remained  unmolested  by  the  enemy. 
They  continued,  however,  to  blockade  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  and  a very  long  and  tedious  confinement  of 
our  little  squadron  was  the  consequence.  This  state 
of  inactivity  was  peculiarly  irksome  and  vexatious  to 
Captain  Biddle,  who  being  now,  for  the  first  time,  in 
command  of  a ship,  was  extremely  anxious  to  measure 
his  strength  with  an  enemy  upon  equal  terms.  Be- 
lieving that,  with  his  small  vessel  alone,  he  could 
elude  the  blockading  squadron,  he  solicited  permis- 
sion to  make  the  attempt  a very  few  weeks  after  being 
chased  into  New  London;  but  the  v‘>ews  of  the 
government  for  the  employment  of  the  ships  did  not 
accord  with  his  wishes. 

It  could  not  be  expected  that  two  hostile  squad- 
rons should  remain  long  in  sight  of  each  other, 
without  some  effort  to  produce  an  encounter,  and, 
although  our  officers  do  not  always  think  themselves 
justifiable  in  sending  challenges,  yet  there  is  no 
scruple  in  accepting  them.  Early  in  January,  1814, 
the  British  force  off  New  London  consisted  of  the 
Ranrilies,  seventy-four.  Commodore  Sir  Thomas 
Hardy ; the  Endymion  frigate.  Captain  Hope ; and 
the  Statira  frigate.  Captain  Stackpole.  A conversa- 
tion took  place  among  these  officers,  in  presence  of 
an  American  prisoner  of  war,  who  was  about  to  be 

27* 


318 


THE  CHALLENGE. 


landed  at  New  London,  which  was  considered  as  an 
overture  to  a meeting  between  the  two  British  frigates 
and  the  American  frigates.  The  conversation  was 
communicated  by  the  prisoner  to  our  officers,  who 
readily  embraced  the  opportunity.  Captain  Biddle 
was  the  negotiator  on  the  occasion,  and  had  an  inter- 
view with  Sir  Thomas  Hardy,  on  board  the  Ramilies. 
Sir  Thomas,  after  taking  a day  to  consider  of  it, 
declined  the  meeting;  because  the  Endymion’s  force 
was  inferior  to  that  of  the  United  States  ; but  offered 
to  permit  the  Statira  to  meet  the  Macedonian  ; which 
Commodore  Decatur,  for  reasons  stated  in  his  answer, 
would  not  allow.  Captain  Biddle  had  volunteered 
his  services  to  Commodore  Decatur,  to  serve  in  either 
of  the  ships,  and,’  in  case  of  a meeting,  would  have 
been  on  board  one  of  them. 

Tn  his  first  visit  to  Sir  Thomas  Hardy,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  challenge.  Captain  Biddle,  being  desirous 
that  the  Hornet  might  be  brought  into  the  combat, 
made  many  inquiries  respecting  the  Loup  Cervier 
sloop  of  war,  (formerly  the  United  States^  ship 
Wasp,)  which  was  daily  expected  to  join  the  British 
squadron ; when  Sir  Thomas  at  length  said  to  him, 
“ I suppose  you  want  a fight  with  the  Loup  Cervier.” 
This  remark  gave  Captain  Biddle  the  opportunity 
which  he  was  seeking  of  expressing  lis  wishes,  and 
he  urged  very  strongly  the  importance  to  the  navy 
of  both  countries  of  having  a fair,  equal  challenge  fight 
between  two  such  vessels.  On  the  arrival  of  the 
Loup  Cervier  off  New  London,  Captain  Biddle  re- 
ceived a communication  from  Captain  Mends,  her 
commander,  stating  that  he  also  was  desirous  of 
meeting  the  Hornet,  provided  the  commanding  officers 


THE  CHALLENGE. 


319 


of  the  two  squadrons  would  permit  it ; and  that  if 
Captain  Biddle  would  inform  him  of  the  nun  her  of 
souls  he  commanded,  Captain  Mends  pledged  his 
honour  to  limit  his  number  to  the  same.  Commodore 
Decatur  would  not  permit  Captain  Biddle  to  acquaint 
Captain  Mends  with  the  number  of  his  crew,  and 
meet  him  on  the  terms  stated,  because  it  was  under- 
stood, that  in  that  case  the  Loup  Cervier  would  have 
a picked  crew  from  the  British  squadron,  and  Com- 
modore Decatur  would  not  allow  such  a selection  to 
be  made  from  his  ships ; nor  would  he  suffer  Captain 
Biddle  to  write  to  Captain  Mends,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain the  number  of  his  men,  and  offer  to  reduce  the 
crew  of  the  Hornet,  if  larger,  to  that  number ; because 
the  government  having  fixed  the  complement  of  men 
to  be  allowed  to  the  Hornet,  he  would  not  be  justified 
in  permitting  a reduction.  Captain  Biddle,  in  his 
answer,  after  assuring  Captain  Mends,  that  in  having 
expressed  a wish  to  meet  the  ship  under  his  com- 
mand, he  was  not  in  the  slightest  degree  influenced 
by  any  feeling  of  personal  hostility  towards  him,  then 
states,  “ I have  submitted  your  communication  to  the 
perusal  of  Commodore  Decatur.  Commodore  De- 
catur feels  unauthorised  to  permit  that  the  crew  of 
this  ship  should  be  strengthened  by  a selection  from 
any  other  ship  under  his  command,  since,  by  so  per- 
mitting, he  may  be  disabled  from  complying  with  the 
orders  of  his  government.  He  is  unwilling  that  an 
advantage  denied  to  this  ship,  should  be  allowed  to 
the  Loup  Cervier.  I have  the  pleasure,  however,  to 
acquaint  you,  that  I am  authorised  to  communicate 
to  you,  that  Commodore  Decatur  has  given  his  per- 
mission. that  this  ship  shall  meet  the  Loup  Cervier, 


320 


BLOCKADE  OF  NEW  LONDON. 


under  a mutual  and  satisfactory  pledge  that  neither 
ship  receive  any  additional  officers  or  men,  but 
shall  go  into  action  with  their  original  crews  respec- 
tively. This  ship  mounts  twenty  guns;  the  Loup 
Cervier,  at  the  time  of  her  capture,  mounted  eighteen 
guns ; if  the  armament  of  the  Loup  Cervier  is  still 
the  same,  I will  take  off  two  guns,  and  thus  place  the 
two  ships  on  an  equality.  These  terms,  I trust,  will 
be  acceptable  to  you.”  Captain  Biddle  and  his 
officers  of  course  expected  a meeting;  but  the  day 
after  his  letter  was  delivered  to  Captain  Mends,  the 
Loup  Cervier  went  to  sea,  and  did  not  again  return 
to  her  station  before  New  London. 

The  enemy  continued  throughout  the  winter  a close 
blockade  of  New  London,  and  always  with  a force 
superior  to  that  of  our  squadron.  When  the  blus- 
tering weather,  and  the  season  most  favourable  for 
escaping  had  passed  away,  the  government  ordered 
the  two  frigates  to  be  moved  as  high  up  the  river  as 
practicable,  and,  after  being  dismantled,  their  officers 
and  crews  were  transferred  to  other  stations,  while 
Captain  Biddle  was  directed  to  continue  at  New 
London  for  the  protection  of  the  frigates.  Although 
this  service  was  deemed  important  by  the  govern- 
ment, yet  to  Captain  Biddle  it  presented  a dreary 
prospect;  he  had  languished  nineteen  months  in  the 
prison  of  Tripoli,  while  his  brother  officers  were 
acquiring  fame,  in  the  active  service  of  their  country 


and  his  present  inactive  situation  appeared  equally 
hopeless  and  mortifying ; he  remonstrated,  though  in 
vain,  against  the  arrangement.  The  demonstration 
of  attacking  New  London  and  the  frigates  up  the 
river,  which  was  made  about  this  period,  by  a very 


SAILING  OF  THE  HORNET.  321 

formidable  British  force,  rendered  it,  indeed,  impru- 
dent to  withdraw  the  protection  of  the  Hornet.  No 
attempt,  however,  was  made  by  the  enemy,  though 
such  preparations  were  made  to  receive  him  as  to 
give  every  hope  of  his  discomfiture. 

When  the  season  which  was  favourable  for  the 
operations  of  the  enemy  against  the  ships  in  the  river 
had  passed,  and  as  soon  as  Captain  Biddle  thought 
that  the  protection  of  the  Hornet  was  unnecessary 
to  their  safety,  he  again  applied  for  permission  to 
leave  New  London  and  proceed  to  New  York. 
This  was  granted ; he  immediately  placed  the  Hornet 
in  the  best  trim  for  sailing,  passed  the  British  squadron 
in  the  night  of  the  18th  of  November,  undiscovered, 
and  arrived  at  New  York,  after  having  continued  in 
New  London  river  upwards  of  seventeen  months. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Hornet  at  New  York,  she 
was  attached  to  the  command  of  Commodore  De- 
catur, destined  for  a cruise  to  the  East  Indies.  The 
frigate  President,  Commodore  Decatur,  went  to  sea 
on  the  14th  January,  1815,  leaving  the  sloops  of  war 
Peacock  and  Hornet  behind  to  bring  out  the  store 
vessel,  which  was  not  then  in  readiness.  As  soon  as 
she  was  ready,  they  all  went  to  sea  in  a gale  of  wind 
on  the  23d  January.  Three  days  after,  the  Hornet 
separated  in  chase  of  a vessel  which  proved  to  be  a 
Portuguese  brig,  and  then  proceeded  singly  towards 
the  island  of  Tristan  d’Acunha,  which  was  the  first 
place  of  rendezvous  for  the  squadron.  On  the  pas- 
sage she  chased  and  boarded  every  vessel  that  came 
in  sight.  They  were  only  four  in  all,  and  all  of  them 
neutrals.  On  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  March, 
when  about  to  anchor  off  the  north  end  of  that  island, 
2 S 


322  BATTLE  WITH  THE  PENGUIN. 

a sail  was  descried  to  tke  southward  and  eastward. 
As  she  was  steering  to  the  westward  with  a fine 
hreeze  from  the  S.  S.  W.,  she  in  a few  minutes 
could  not  be  seen  for  the  land.  The  Hornet  made 
sail  to  the  eastward  immediately,  and,  after  clearing 
the  island  and  again  gaining  sight  of  her,  perceived 
her  bear  up  before  the  wind.  Captain  Biddle  short- 
ened sail  and  hove  to  for  her  to  come  down.  When 
she  had  come  down  and  began  to  shorten  sail,  she 
took  in  her  steering  sails  in  a very  clumsy  manner, 
purposely,  as  it  afterwards  appeared,  to  deceive  the 
Hornet.  She  also  came  down  stem  on  as  nearly  as 
possible,  lest,  as  the  officers  afterwards  stated,  the 
Hornet  should  perceive  her  broadside  and  run.  In 
coming  down  in  this  manner,  she  seemed  to  steer 
rather  towards  the  Hornet’s  stern,  so  that  Captain 
Biddle  thought  her  intention  was  to  pass  under  his 
stern,  giving  him  a raking  broadside,  and,  hauling 
her  wind,  engage  him  to  leeward,  to  -prevent  which 
the  Hornet  wore  ship  three  times.  ‘‘  At  forty  minutes 
past  one,  P.  M.,”  says  Captain  Biddle’s  official  letter, 
“ being  nearly  within  musket  shot  distance,  she  hauled 
her  wind  on  the  starboard  tack,  hoisted  English 
colours,  and  fired  a gun.  We  immediately  luffed  to, 
hoisted  our  ensign,  and  gave  the  enemy  a broadside. 
The  action  being  thus  commenced,  a quick  and  well- 
directed  fire  was  kept  up  from  this  ship,  the  enemy 
gradually  drifting  nearer  to  us,  when  at  fifty-five 
minutes  past  one  he  bore  up  apparently  to  run  us  on 
board.  As  soon  as  I perceived  he  would  certainly 
fall  on  board,  I called  the  hoarders  so  as  to  be  ready 
to  repel  any  attempt  to  board  us.  At  the  instant 
every  officer  and  man  repaired  to  the  quarter-deck, 


IfPRARY 

OF  THE 

UNtVERSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


SURRENDER  OF  THE  PENJUIN.  325 

where  the  two  vessels  were  coming  in  contact,  and 
eagerly  pressed  me  to  permit  them  to  board  the 
enemy;  but  this  I would  not  permit,  as  it  was  evident 
from  the  commencement  of  the  action  that  our  fire 
was  greatly  superior  both  in  quickness  and  in  effect. 
The  enemy’s  bowsprit  came  in  between  our  main  and 
mizzen-rigging,  on  our  starboard  side,  affording  him 
an  opportunity  to  board  us,  if  such  was  his  design 
but  no  attempt  was  made.  There  was  a considerable 
swell,  and  as  the  sea  lifted  us  ahead,  the  enemy’s 
bowsprit  carried  away  our  mizzen-shrouds,  stern- 
davits,  and  spankerboom,  and  he  hung  upon  our  lar- 
board quarter.  At  this  moment,  an  officer,  who  was 
afterwards  recognised  to  be  Mr.  M’Donald,  the  first 
lieutenant,  and  the  then  commanding  officer,  called 
out  that  they  had  surrendered.  I directed  the  marines 
and  musketry  men  to  cease  firing,  and,  while  on  the 
tafferel,  asking  if  they  had  surrendered,  I received  a 
wound  in  the  neck.  The  enemy  just  then  got  clear 
of  us,  and  his  foremast  and  bowsprit  being  both  gone, 
and  perceiving  us  wearing  to  give  him  a fresh  broad- 
side, he  again  called  out  that  he  had  surrendered.  It 
was  with  difficulty  I could  restrain  my  crew  from 
firing  into  him  again,  as  he  had  certainly  fired  into 
us  after  having  surrendered.  From  the  firing  of  the 
first  gun,  to  the  last  time  the  enemy  cried  out  he  had 
surrendered,  was  exactly  twenty-two  minutes  by  the 
watch.  She  proved  to  be  his  Britannic  majesty’s 
brig  Penguin,  mounting  sixteen  thirty-two  pound 
carronadcs,  two  long  twelves,  a twelve  pound  car- 
ronade  on  the  top-gallant  forecastle,  with  swivels  on 
the  capstern  and  in  the  tops.  She  had  a spare  port 
forward,  so  as  to  fight  both  her  long  guns  of  a side. 

28 


326  FORCE  AND  LOSS  OF  PENGUIN. 

She  sailed  from  England  in  September  last.  She 
was  shorter  upon  deck  than  this  ship  by  two  feet,  but 
she  had  a greater  length  of  keel,  greater  breadth  of 
beam,  thicker  sides,  and  higher  bulwarks  than  this 
ship,  and  was  in  all  respects  a remarkably  fine  vessel 
of  her  class.  The  enemy  acknowledge  a complement 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  men,  twelve  of  them 
supernumerary  marines  from  the  Medway  seventy- 
four,  received  on  board  in  consequence  of  their  being 
ordered  to  cruise  for  the  American  privateer  Young 
Wasp.  They  acknowledge  also  a loss  of  fourteen 
killed  and  twenty-eight  wounded ; but  Mr.  Mayo, 
who  was  in  charge  of  the  prize,  assures  me  that  the 
number  of  killed  was  certainly  greater.” 

Among  the  killed  of  the  Penguin  was  Captain 
Dickenson,  her  commander,  who  is  represented  to 
have  been  a deserving  and  favourite  ofiicer.  Not  a 
single  round-shot  struck  the  hull  of  the  Hornet,  hut 
her  sides  were  filled  with  grape,  and  her  sails  and 
rigging  much  cut.  The  Hornet  had  but  one  man 
killed,  and  eleven  wounded.  Among  the  wounded 
were  Captain  Biddle  severely,  and  Mr.  Conner,  the 
first  lieutenant,  dangerously. 

It  is  always  gratifying  to  notice  the  attachment  of 
our  brave  tars  to  their  commanders.  Captain  Biddle, 
in  the  early  part  of  the  action,  had  his  face  much  dis- 
figured by  being  struck  twice  with  splinters,  and,  when 
he  received  the  wound  in  the  neck,  from  which  the 
blood  flowed  profusely,  the  most  anxious  concern 
for  him  was  evinced  by  the  crew,  two  of  whom  took 
him  in  their  arms  to  carry  him  below.  He  could 
scarcely  disengage  himself  from  them,  and  finding  that 
he  would  not  leave  the  deck,  one  of  them  stripped 


CAPTAIN  BIDDLE  WOUNDED.  327 

off  his  shirt  and  tied  it  tightly  about  Captain  Biddle’s 
neck,  so  as  to  prevent  his  bleeding.  Captain  Biddle 
would  not  have  his  own  wound  dressed  until  after  all 
his  men  had  theirs  dressed. 

We  cannot  omit  a circumstance  which  marks  a 
striking  and  characteristic  difference  between  the 
seamen  of  the  two  countries.  In  conversation  with 
Lieutenant  M’Donald,  the  surviving  officer  of  the 
Penguin,  he  mentioned  that  soon  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  action,  Captain  Dickenson  remarked  to 
him,  “ this  fellow  hits  us  every  time,  we  can’t  stand 
his  fire  ; we  must  run  him  on  board  at  that  instant 
Captain  Dickenson  received  a grape-shot  in  his 
breast,  which  terminated  his  life  in  a few  minutes. 
The  command  devolving  upon  Mr.  M’Donald,  he  said 
he  gave  orders  to  board,  but  that  his  men  would  not 
follow  him ; while  the  seamen  of  the  Hornet  were 
anxious  and  eager  to  board  the  enemy,  but  were  pre- 
vented by  their  commander. 

It  has  been  stated  that  Captain  Biddle  was  wounded 
after  the  enemy  had  surrendered.  He  was  standing 
upon  the  tafferel,  and  had  ordered  the  musketry  not 
to  fire,  when  one  of  his  officers  called  out  to  him  that 
there  was  a man  taking  aim  at  him.  Captain  Biddle 
did  not  hear  this,  as  his  back  was  towards  the 
officer ; but  two  of  the  marines  perceiving  the  fellow 
taking  aim  at  Captain  Biddle  fired  at  him,  and  he 
fell  dead  the  instant  after  he  had  discharged  his  piece. 
He  was  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  yards  from 
Captain  Biddle  when  he  shot  him;  the  ball  struck 
the  chin  directly  in  front  with  much  force,  and  pass- 
ing along  the  neck,  tearing  the  flesh,  went  off  behind 
througB  his  cravat,  waistcoat  and  coat  collar. 


328  ENCOUNTERS  A SHIP  OF  THE  LINE. 

The  Penguin  being  completely  riddled,  her  fore 
mast  and  bowsprit  gone,  and  her  mainmast  so  crippled 
as  to  be  incapable  of  being  secured,  and  Captain 
Biddle  being  unwilling  to  return  into  port  with  his 
prize,  or  to  spare  officers  to  man  her,  he  resolved  to 
destroy  her,  and  she  was  accordingly  scuttled.  A 
few  days  after  the  action  he  was  joined  by  the  Pea- 
cock and  the  storeship.  The  Hornet  had  sustained 
so  little  injury  in  the  action,  that  Captain  Biddle, 
having  bent  a new  set  of  sails,  and  knotted  and 
secured  his  rigging,  was  completely  ready  for  further 
service.  Captains  Warrington  and  Biddle  having 
waited  the  time  prescribed,  without  the  arrival  of 
Commodore  Decatur,  the  Tom  Bowling,  storeship, 
weTs  converted  into  a cartel  to  carry  the  British 
prisoners  to  St.  Salvador,  and  the  Peacock  and 
Hornet  sailed  on  the  12th  April,  bound  round  the 
Cape  of  Gooi  Hope.  On  the  27th  April,  early  in 
the  morning,  in  latitude  38,  30,  S.,  and  longitude  33, 
E.,  they  discovered  a strange  sail,  to  which  they 
gave  chase.  As  it  was  part  of  the  time  calm,  and 
during  the  other  part  the  wind  was  quite  light,  they 
did  not  approach  the  chase  until  the  afternoon  of  the 
following  day.  “At  forty-five  minutes  past  two,  P. 
M.,”  says  Captain  Biddle’s  official  letter,  “ the  Pea- 
cock was  about  six  miles  ahead  of  this  ship,  and 
observing  that  she  appeared  to  be  suspicious  of  the 
chase,  I took  in  starboard  steering-sails,  and  hauled 
up  for  the  Peacock.  At  twenty-two  minutes  past 
three,  P.  M.,  the  Peacock  made  the  signal,  that  the 
chase  was  a ship  of  the  line,  and  an  enemy.  I im- 
mediately took  in  all  steering  sails  and  hauled  upon 
a wind,  the  enemy  then  upon  our  lee  quarter,  distant 


THE  CHASE. 


329 


about  eight  miles.  At  nine,  P.  M.,  as  he  was  gaining 
upon  us,  and  there  was  every  appearance  that  he 
would  be  enabled  to  keep  sight  of  us  during  the  night, 
I considered  it  necessary  to  lighten  the  ship.  I 
therefore  threw  overboard  twelve  tons  of  kentledge, 
part  of  our  shot,  and  some  of  our  heavy  spars ; cut 
away  the  sheet  anchor  and  cable,  and  started  the 
wedges  of  the  masts.  At  two,  A.  M.,  the  enemy 
being  rather  before  our  lee  beam,  I tacked  to  the 
westward ; he  also  tacked  and  continued  in  chase  of 
us.  At  daylight,  on  the  29th,  he  was  within  gunshot 
upon  our  lee  quarter.  At  seven,  A.  M.,  having 
hoisted  English  colours,  and  a rear-ad mir  d’s  flag,  he 
commenced  firing  from  his  bow  guns.  As  his  shot 
went  over  us,  I cut  away  the  remaining  anchor  and 
cable,  threw  overboard  the  launch,  six  of  our  guns, 
more  of  our  shot,  and  every  heavy  article  that  was  at 
hand.  The  enemy  fired  about  thirty  shot,  not  one 
of  which  took  effect,  though  most  of  them  passed 
over  us.  While  he  was  firing,  I had  the  satisfaction 
to  perceive  that  we  slowly  dropped  him,  and  at  nine, 
A.  M.,  he  ceased  his  fire.  At  eleven,  A.  M.,  the 
enemy  was  again  coming  up  with  us.  I now,  there- 
fore, threw  overboard  all  our  remaining  guns,  but 
one  long  gun,  nearly  all  our  shot,  all  our  spare  spars, 
cut  away  the  top-gallant  forecastle,  and  cleared  every 
thing  off  deck,  as  well  as  from  below,  to  lighten  as 
much  as  possible.  At  noon,  the  enemy  again  com- 
menced firing;  he  fired  many  shot,  only  three  of 
which  came  on  board,  two  striking  the  hull,  and  one 
passing  through  the  jib.  It  is,  however,  extraordi- 
nary that  every  shot  did  not  take  effect;  for  the 
enemy,  the  second  time  he  commenced  firing,  was 
2T  28* 


330  ESCAPE  OF  THE  HORNET. 

certainly  within  three  quarters  of  a mile  of  this  ship, 
and  the  sea  quite  smooth.  I perceived  from  his  saJs 
that  the  effect  of  hi^  fire  was  to  deaden  his  wind,  and 
at  two,  P.  M.,  he  again  ceased  firing.  At  thirty 
minutes  past  two,  P.  M.,  the  wind,  which  had  pre- 
viously— and  greatly  to  our  disadvantage — backed  to 
the  southeast,  hauled  to  the  westward,  and  freshened 
up.  At  sundown,  the  enemy  was  about  four  miles 
astern ; the  wind  was  ^resh,  and  we  went  at  the  rate 
of  nine  knots  throughout  the  night,  and  at  daylight, 
on  the  30th,  he  was  about  twelve  miles  astern,  still  in 
chase  of  us.  At  thirty  minutes  past  nine,  A.  M.,  fie 
took  in  ste  ring-sails,  reefed  his  topsails  and  hauled  to 
the  eastward,  and  at  eleven,  A.  M.,  he  was  entirely 
out  of  sight.  During  the  chase,  the  enemy  appeared 
to  be  very  crank,  and  I therefore  concluded  he  must 
have  lightened  while  in  chase  of  us.  I did  not  at 
any  time  fire  our  stern-chasers,  because  it  was  mani- 
fest that  the  enemy  injured  his  sailing  by  firing.’^ 
During  this  long  and  anxious  chase.  Captain  Bid- 
dle, though  still  much  indisposed  and  debilitated  by 
his  wound,  preserved  his  accustomed  fortitude  and 
presence  of  mind.  Though  his  situation,  for  many 
hours,  under  the  guns  of  a line  of  battle  ship,  would 
have  justified  his  surrender,  yet  he  could  not  bring 
his  mind  to  give  up  the  ship,  and  his  persevering  and 
unyielding  spirit  was  rewarded  by  the  success  which 
it  merited,  but  could  scarcely  have  expected.  It  is 
this  gallant  and  heroic  temper,  which  never  despairs 
and  is  always  master  of  itself,  that  gives  its  possessor 
a claim  to  much  higher  merit,  than  can  be  made  by 
the  ordinary  efforts  of  courage.  As  their  capture 
appeared  to  be  air.  ost  inevitable,  and  the  minds  of 


331 


ttPRART 
OF  THE 

ONIVEfiSITV  OF  ILLINOIS 


ESCAPE  OF  THE  HORNET.  333 

the  crew  were  depressed,  Captain  Biddle  called  them 
together  and  addressed  them : he  told  them  that  he 
was  determined  not  to  heave  to,  but  to  carry  sail 
from  the  enemy  as  long  as  his  spars  were  unhurt,  and 
that  if  the  enemy  continued  to  fire,  he  had  no  doubt 
that  they  should  escape ; he  told  them  if  they  were 
captured,  he  should  expect  them  to  behave  properly ; 
he  encouraged  them  not  to  fear  any  ill  usage  from 
the  enemy,  and  assured  them  that  he  would  continue 
with  them,  and  never  abandon  them.  The  effect  of 
this  address  was  to  reanimate  the  spirits  of  the  crew, 
and  to  make  them  all  pleased  and  proud  to  resign 
their  fate,  confidently  and  cheerfully,  to  the  direction 
of  their  brave  commander. 

After  escaping  from  the  severity-four,  the  loss  of 
her  armament  and  other  equipments  rendered  the 
Hornet’s  return  into  port  indispensable ; and  as  it 
would  have  been  extremely  hazardous  to  approach 
our  coast,  being  without  guns,  boats  or  anchors,  he 
concluded  to  go  into  St.  Salvador,  for  the  purpose 
of  refitting  and  resuming  his  cruise.  He  arrived 
there  on  the  9th  of  June,  and  on  his  arrival  heard 
of  the  peace  with  Great  Britain.  He  returned  to 
New  York,  on  the  30th  of  July. 

Agreeably  to  the  request  of  Captain  Biddle,  a 
court  of  inquiry  was  held  on  the  2Sd  day  of  August, 
1815,  on  board  the  Hornet,  in  the  harbour  of  New 
York,  to  investigate  the  causes  of  the  return  of  that 
ship  into  port,  and  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances 
attending  the  loss  of  armament,  stores,  &c.  The 
following  opinion  was  pronounced  by  the  court,  of 
which  Captain  Evans  was  President : ‘‘  The  Court, 
after  mature  deliberation  on  the  testimony  adduced. 


334  SERVICES  SINCE  THE  PEACE. 

are  of  opinion  that  no  blame  is  imputable  to  Captain 
Biddle,  on  account  of  the  return  of  the  Hornet  into 
port  with  the  loss  of  her  armament,  stores,  &c.;  and 
that  the  greatest  applause  is  due  to  him  for  his  perse- 
vering gallantry,  and  nautical  skill,  evinced  in  escaping, 
under  the  most  disadvantageous  circumstances,  after 
a long  and  arduous  chase  by  a British  line  of  battle 
ship.” 

During  his  absence.  Captain  Biddle  was  promoted 
fo  the  rank  of  post  captain. 

On  his  return,  a public  dinner  was  given  to  him 
by  the  citizens  of  New  York;  and  a subscription  was 
made  for  a service  of  plate,  to  be  presented  to  him  by 
the  citizens  of  Philadelphia.  Other  testimonials  of 
respect,  not  less  due  to  his  private  worth  than  to  his 
merit  as  an  officer,  were  bestowed  upon  him. 

Our  limits  will  only  permit  a very  summary  notice 
of  the  services  of  Commodore  Biddle,  since  the  peace 
of  Ghent.  In  181 7,  he  was  despatched  by  the  govern- 
ment, in  the  Ontario  sloop  of  war,  to  the  Columbia 
river,  to  take  possession  of  Oregon  territory.  This 
service  and  a cruise  in  the  Pacific  having  been  per- 
formed, he  returned  to  this  country,  in  1819.  In 
March,  1822,  he  was  sent  to  the  West  India  station, 
in  the  frigate  Macedonian,  ostensibly  for  the  purpose 
of  suppressing  piracy,  but  with  special  orders  to  re- 
main for  a considerable  time  in  the  port  of  Havana. 
This  order,  which,  like  several  that  have  at  various 
times  proceeded  from  our  government,  showed  a 
singular  want  of  consideration  for  the  health  of  the 
seamen  employed  in  the  navy,  occasioned  the  loss  of 
one  hundred  and  three  men,  with  tie  yellow  fever. 
When  it  was  apparent  that  the  disease  had  com- 


WEST  INDIA  SERVICE. 


335 


menced  its  ravages  in  the  ship,  Commode  re  Biddle 
sailed  out  of  the  harbour,  and  cruised  about  the 
islands,  in  order  to  restore  health  to  the  crew ; but  it 
was  too  late,  and  he  was  obliged  to  return  home  with 
this  severe  loss.  He  was  immediately  sent 'back  to 
the  West  India  station,  in  the  frigate  Congress;  thus 
silencing  the  censure  bestowed  upon  him  by  the 
newspapers  for  remaining  so  long  in  the  port  of 
Havana.  He  continued  engaged  in  the  arduous  and 
unpleasant  service  of  suppressing  piracy  until  the 
ensuing  spring.  It  was  about  this  period  that  the 
government  made  the  discovery,  that  the  employment 
of  frigates  on  this  duty  could  be  preventive  only  to  a 
very  limited  extent,  on  account  of  the  readiness  with 
which  the  pirates  found  shelter  in  the  small  harbours 
and  creeks  of  the  Spanish  islands.  Small  vessels,  of 
very  light  construction,  were  subsequently  employed 
with  more  effect. 

Commodore  Biddle’s  next  service  was  the  carrying 
abroad  of  two  ministers,  to  their  several  destinations, 
in  the  frigate  Congress.  It  will  be  thought  by  the 
reader  rather  an  odd  circumstance,  that  the  same 
national  ship  should  have  been  ordered  by  the  govern- 
ment to  convey  our  minister,  Mr.  Nelson,  to  Spain, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  should  be  charged  with  the 
service  of  carrying  out  Mr.  Rodney,  as  ambassador 
to  Buenos  Ayres,  a revolted  colony  of  Spain,  w^hose 
independence  had  never  been  acknowledged  by  the 
mother  country.  The  manifest  indecorum  of  the 
proceeding  was  noticed  by  the  newspapers  of  the 
time  ; but  the  service  was,  nevertheless,  required,  and 
it  was  duly  performe^  , the  cruise  terminating  in  De- 
cember, 1824. 


I 


336  CHARACTER  OF  BIDDLE. 

A subsequent  cruise  on  the  South  American  station, 
from  1826  to  1828,  and  another  in  the  Mediterranean, 
during  which  Commodore  Biddle  went  to  Constanti- 
nople for  the  purpose  of  signing  the  commercial  treaty 
with  Turkey,  were  his  latest  voyages.  The  last  ter- 
minated in  1832.  From  the  year  1838  to  1842,  he 
was  in  charge  of  the  Naval  Asylum,  near  Philadel- 
phia. 

Commodore  Biddle’s  residence,  when  not  on 
loreign  service,  has  always  been  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia, where  his  well  known  character  for  courage 
and  ability,  and  his  uniformly  frank,  affable  and  gen- 
tlemanly deportment  have  endeared  him  to  a large 
circle  of  friends. 

It  has  been  the  distinguishing  character  of  this 
gentleman,  to  exert  in  the  public  service  an  un- 
wearied activity,  and  an  ardent  enterprise,  which 
surmounted  every  obstacle  and  commanded  the  events 
of  his  life.  Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  and  dis- 
appointments experienced  by  him  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  in  procuring  a station,  and  his 
confinement  at  New  London,  almost  as  long  and  as 
depressing  as  the  captivity  at  Tripoli,  yet  his  perse- 
vering spirit  led  him  forward,  in  spite  of  every  unto- 
ward event,  in  the  path  of  glory,  and  crowned  his 
exertions  with  success.  He  was  a party  to  two  of 
the  most  decisive  actions  of  the  war.  The  capture 
of  the  Frolic  by  the  Wasp,  not  only  broke  the  charm 
of  Britisn  naval  superiority,  but  showed  a decided 
superiority  in  favour  of  America.  The  capture  of 
the  Penguin  was  not  less  decisive ; and  if,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  the  British  navy  was 
surprised,  from  habits  of  security  and  contempt  for 


CHARACTER  OF  BIDDLE. 


337 


their  enemies,  they  had  long  before  the  victory  of  the 
Hornet  learned  their  error  and  corrected  their  con- 
duct. In  this  instance,  even  the  enemy  was  utterly 
unable  to  frame  an  apology  for  his  defeat,  since  he 
had  come  out  prepared,  and  with  unusual  means,  to 
pursue  and  capture  an  American  ship  of  war. 

The  chase  and  escape  of  the  Hornet,  under  the  ex 
traordinary  circumstances  which  have  been  related, 
is  considered,  by  competent  judges,  as  one  of  the 
most  honourable  acts  of  which  the  navy  can  boast 


2S  29 


OLIVER  H.  PERRY. 


NDOUBTEDLY  good  descent  is 
an  advantage ; and  if  a man,  who  has 
rendered  his  name  illustrious  by 
services  to  his  country,  derives  re- 
flected splendour  from  his  ancestry, 
few  have  stronger  claims  on  that  score  than  the  sub- 
ject of  the  present  biography.  His  great  ancestor, 
Edmund  Perry,  was  born  in  Devonshire,  England, 
and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  then  colony 
of  Massachusetts.  He  was  a public  speaker  of  the 
society  called  Friends,  and  was  compelled  to  quit 

338 


ANCESTORS  OF  PERRY. 


339 


that  colony  on  account  of  his  religious  opinions,  and 
to  seek  a residence  in  South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island, 
He  had  three  sons,  Samuel,  James  and  Benjamin, 
who  inherited  the  same  religious  principles  with  their 
father.  Benjamin,  the  great  grandfather,  was  horn 
in^he  year  1673.  Freeman,  his  youngest  son,  by  a 
second  marriage,  was  born  in  South  Kingston,  on  the 
second  day  of  February,  in  1732,  and  in  1756  married 
the  daughter  of  Oliver  Hazard,  Esq.,  brother  to  the 
Hon.  George  Hazard,  lieutenant  governor  of  the  then 
colony  of  Rhode  Island.  The  grandfather.  Freeman 
Perry,  was  for  many  years  clerk  of  the  court,  mem 
her  of  the  legislature,  judge,  &c.,  in  his  native  state, 
the  duties  of  which  various  offices  he  discharged  with 
great  credit  and  ability.  He  died  at  South  Kingston, 
in  October,  1813,  in  the  eighty-second  }’^ear  of  his 
age.  Christopher  Raymond  Perry,  the  father,  was 
born  December  4, 1761.  Notwithstanding  his  youth, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  American  revolution,  he 
took  a very  active  part,  and  was  often  found  fighting 
both  by  land  and  sea  in  the  service  of  his  country. 
He  always  acquitted  himself  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
commanders ; the  post  of  danger  was  with  him  the 
post  of  honour.  In  October,  1784,  he  was  married 
to  Sarah  Alexander,  a lady  born  in  Ireland,  but  of 
Scotch  extraction;  descended,  on  the  maternal  side, 
from  the  Wallaces,  so  celebrated  in  the  annals  of 
Scotland ; — a name  which  Oliver  would  have  borne 
had  it  not  been  changed  to  Hazard,  in  consequence 
of  the  sudden  death  of  a beloved  uncle.  This  ex- 
cellent woman  devoted  herself  to  the  education  of 
her  children,  and  formed  their  youthful  minds  to 
early  habits  of  virtue  and  religion.  So  successful 


340 


PERRY  A MIDSHIPMAN. 


was  she  in  these  attempts,  that  neither  the  glare  of 
arms,  and  the  pomp  and  bustle  of  a military  life  were 
able  to  seduce  the  mind  of  Captain  Perry  from  those 
salutary  impressions  which  he  received  in  early  youth. 
At  the  age  of  seven  years,  he  was  placed  at  Mr. 
Frasier’s  school,  in  Newport,  and  under  that  able 
and  excellent  teacher  he  made  considerable  progress 
in  his  studies.  In  April,  1799,  he  received  a mid- 
shipman’s warrant,  and  was  attached  to  the  United 
States’  ship  General  Greene,  under  the  command  of 
his  father,  with  whom  he  sailed  until  the  reduction 
of  the  navy.  At  this  time,  his  father  received  the 
following  letter  from  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy : 

“ JVavy  Department^  ^pril  3,  1801. 

“ Sir  : — The  act  providing  for  the  peace  establishment  of  the 
navy  of  the  United  States,  has  imposed  on  the  President  a pain- 
ful duly.  It  directs  him  to  select  nine  gentleman  from  amongst 
the  captains  of  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  and  to  permit  the 
remaining  comm.anders  to  retire  from  public  service,  with  the  ad- 
vance of  four  months’  extra  pay.  T have  deemed  it  a duty,  there- 
fore, as  early  as  possible  to  inform  you,  that  you  will  be  amongst 
those  whose  services,  however  reluctantly,  will  be  dispensed  with. 
Y ou  will  transmit  to  the  accountant  of  the  navy  a statement  of  your 
account,  for  pay  and  subsistence,  &c.,  to  the  20th  instant,  inclu- 
sive ; on  receipt  of  which  it  will  be  adjusted,  and  the  balance  due 
you,  including  the  four  months’  extra  pay,  will  be  transmitted  to 
you,  or  paid  to  your  order  Permit  me  to  assure  you,  that  the 
President  has  a just  sense  of  the  services  rendered  by  you  to  your 
country,  and  that  I am,  with  sentiments  of  respect, 

^‘Tour  most  obedient  servaC 

“ By  order  of  Henry  Dearborn,  acting  Secretary  of  the  JYavy, 

S.  Smith. 

Captain  Chr.  R.  Perry.^’ 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Tripolitan  war,  Mr. 
Perry  was  ordered  to  join  the  frigate  Adams,  com- 


PERRY  A LIEUTENANT.  341 

manded  by  Captain  Campbell,  with  whom  he  sailed 
for  the  Mediterranean.  This  frigate  was  then  lying 
in  the  harbour  of  Newport,  and  arrived  at  Gibraltar 
on  the  13th  of  July,  1802.  Here  they  were  met  by 
Commodore  Morris,  in  the  Chesapeake,  and  Lieute- 
nant Sterret,  of  the  Enterprise.  After  waiting  a 
month  at  this  place,  they  proceeded  as  far  as  Malaga, 
with  a convoy  of  merchant  ships,  and  then  returned 
to  watch  a Tripolitan  ship  lying  at  the  rock  of  Gibral- 
tar. Here  they  lay  for  ten  months  watching  the 
Tripolitans,  at  which  time  they  were  joined  by  Com- 
modore Preble,  with  the  Constellation,  accompanied 
by  the  New  York,  John  Adams,  and  the  Enterprise. 
Commodore  Preble  here  shifted  his  flag  from  the 
Constellation  to  the  New  York,  and  ordered  the 
Constellation,  then  commanded  by  Captain  Barron, 
to  the  United  States.  On  the  7th  of  April,  Mr. 
Perry  sailed  from  G ibraltar  for  the  United  States,  in 
the  frigate  Adams,  with  a convoy  of  ten  sail  of  mer- 
chantmen. They  touched  at  Malaga,  Alicant,  Bar- 
celona, and,  after  staying  a few  days  at  the  latter 
place,  proceeded  for  Leghorn,  and  thence  to  Naples. 
During  this  cruise,  and  on  his  birth-day,  (at  seventeen 
years  of  age,)  he  was  promoted  to  an  acting  lieute- 
nancy. While  on  the  Mediterranean  station.  Lieu- 
tenant Perry  embraced  an  opportunity  afforded  by 
the  indulgence  of  his  commander,  of  visiting  many  of 
the  capital  cities,  and  examining  many  of  the  curiosi- 
ties both  of  Italy  and  Spain.  He  had  also  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  whatever  was  worthy  of  notice  in  the 
Italian  islands,  as  well  as  on  the  Barbary  side.  He 
was  at  Tangiers,  Ceuta,  Algiers,  Tunis,  Derne  and 
Tripoli.  From  Naples  the  frigate  sailed  to  Strom- 

29* 


342  ON  THE  MEDITERRANEAN  STATION. 

boli.  Lieutenant  Perry  remained  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean until  Commodore  Morris  left  that  station,  and 
with  him  he  returned  to  the  United  States.  On 
Lieutenant  Perry’s  return  to  Newport,  from  this 
long  and  fatiguing  cruise,  he  strenuously  applied  him- 
self to  the  study  of  mathematics. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  1804,  Lieutenant  Perry  was 
again  ordered  to  the  Constellation,  under  his  old 
commander,  Captain  Campbell.  This  frigate  was 
then  fitting  out  at  Washington,  and  destined  to  join 
our  squadron  at  Malta,  then  under  the  command  of 
Commodore  Barron.  He  remained  on  board  the 
Constellation  until  he  w^as  ordered  by  Captain  Camp- 
bell as  first  lieutenant  on  board  of  the  Nautilus, 
during  the  time  that  Captain  Evans  and  Captain 
Dent  assumed  the  command.  He  was  attached  to 
the  Nautilus  until  Commodore  Rodgers  assumed  the 
command  of  the  American  squadron,  by  w^hom  he 
w^as  ordered  on  board  of  his  owm  ship,  the  Constitu- 
tion, wTere  he  remained  until  the  conclusion  of  peace 
with  the  regency  of  Tripoli.  Afterw^ards  Commodore 
Rodgers  shifted  his  flag  to  the  Essex,  retained  Mr. 
Perry  wdth  him  as  the  second  lieutenant,  and  w'ith 
him  he  returned  to  the  United  States. 

After  this  second  Mediterranean  cruise.  Lieutenant 
Perry  applied  himself  wuth  redoubled  diligence  to  the 
study  of  mathematics,  and  to  the  rudiments  of  navi- 
gation. He  had  already  been  conversant  with  prac- 
tice : and  he  was  thus  enabled  to  read  and  to  compare 
what  he  read  wuth  his  own  experie  ice,  and  to  improve 
himself  both  by  theoretical  and  practical  knowdedge. 
During  the  embargo,  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  seventeen  gunboats,  stationed  at  the  harbour 


THE  SURVEY. 


343 


of  New  York,  the  duties  of  which  he  executed  with 
his  usual  promptitude,  industry  and  perseverance. 

In  all  these  incidents  we  may  discover  rather  a 
narrative  of  occurrences,  than  a description  of  the 
character  of  Lieutenant  Perry.  N one  of  these  events 
have  served  to  throw  out  his  peculiar  and  distinguish- 
ing characteristics.  It  is  time  to  come  to  more  spe- 
cific detail,  and  we  shall  find  an  intrepidity  which 
no  misfortune  could  disturb,  surpassed  only  by  the 
modesty  with  which  it  is  surrounded.  In  the  year 
1810,  Lieutenant  Perry  superseded  Captain  Jones  in 
the  command  of  the  United  States’  schooner  Re- 
venge, attached  to  the  squadron  commanded  by  Com- 
modore Rodgers.  Lieutenant  Perry  received  the 
orders  of  his  commander  to  commence  a survey,  be- 
ginning at  the  westernmost  extreme  of  Gardiner’s 
bay,  on  a parallel  to  extend  five  leagues  south  of  the 
south  side  of  Long  Island,  and  north,  so  as  to  inter- 
sect the  Connecticut  shore ; thence  as  far  eastward 
as  to  include  the  whole  of  Connecticut,  as  far  as  the 
easternmost  extremity  of  Newport,  and  the  harbours 
adjacent  thereto ; from  which  the  north  and  south 
parallel  of  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  chart  was  to 
extend  so  far  south  that  the  intersecting  east  and  west 
parallel,  forming  the  southern  margin  of  the  chart, 
would  take  in  Gay-head  and  Block-island.  He  was, 
by  the  orders  of  his  commander,  first  to  survey  the 
harbour  of  Newport,  and  then  to  return  to  New 
London.  In  the  execution  of  this  duty,  the  schooner 
was  wrecked  on  a reef  of  rocks,  called  Watch-hill 
reef,  at  the  entrance  of  Fisher’s  island  sound.  B} 
the  indefatigable  exertions  of  the  officers  and  crew, 
almost  every  thing  of  value  was  saved  from  the 


344  LOSS  OF  THE  REVENGE. 

wreck,  and  the  life  of  every  person  on  board  was 
preserved,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  swell  rendered 
the  approach  extremely  difficult  and  hazardous.  A 
court  of  inquiry  was  ordered  by  the  Commodore, 
consisting  of  Captain  Isaac  Hull,  and  Lieutenants 
Charles  Morris  and  Charles  Ludlow ; names  dear  to 
the  memory  of  Americans.  Lieutenant  Perry,  on 
his  examination  before  the  court,  gave  a modest  and 
perspicuous  detail ; but  cautiously  and  modestly  con- 
cealed his  own  individual  agency  in  attempting  to 
save  the  stores  and  the  men.  In  the  examination  of 
the  junior  officers,  this  fact  is  stated,  which  the  court 
would  .never  have  learned  from  his  own  lips:  “At 
sunset  the  wund  changed  to  the  northward,  and  blew 
heavy  on  the  reef,  when  the  sea  increasing,  and  the 
vessel  going  fast  to  pieces,  it  was  determined  to  leave 
her ; and  the  Captain,  and  such  part  of  the  officers  as 
remained  on  board,  landed  at  Watch-hill — Captain 
Ferry  being  the  last  person  that  left  the  rvrechr  It 
seldom  happens  that  an  officer  is  first  recommended 
to  the  notice  and  favourable  regards  of  his  govern- 
ment by  his  misfortunes.  Such,  however,  was  the 
case  in  the  present  instance,  and  Lieutenant  Perry, 
from  that  hour,  became  a favourite  in  the  navy  de- 
partment. He  laid  the  foundation  of  his  future 
celebrity  in  his  misfortune.  The  following  letter 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to  the  Commodore, 
sanctions  these  ideas,  and  one  particular  passage  ap- 
pears to  be  beautifully  prophetic. 

“»Vari/  Department^  February^  1811. 

“Sir: — Your  letter  of  the  31st  ultimo,  with  the  proceedings  of 
the  court  of  inquiry  into  the  loss  of  the  Revenge,  has  been  received. 

“ Having  attentively  examined  the  proceedings  of  the  court,  1 


LOSS  OF  THE  REV.ENGE. 


345 


derive  much  satisfaction  from  perceiving  that  it  is  unnecessary  to 
institute  any  farther  proceedings  in  the  case.  With  respect  to 
Lieutenant  Perry,  I can  only  say,  that  my  confidence^  in  him  has 
not  been  in  any  degree  diminished  by  his  conduct  on  this  occasion. 
The  loss  of  the  Revenge  appears  to  be  justly  chargeable  to  the 
oilot.  This  accident  will  no  doubt  present  to  Lieutenant  Perry 
'onsiderations  that  may  be  useful  to  him  in  future  command.  Jin 
fjeer.,  just  to  himself  will  not  be  depressed  by  defeat  or  misfor- 
tune ; but  will  be  stimulated  by  either  cause  to  greater  exertion.'^'* 
The  conduct  of  the  officers  generally,  and  of  the  crew,  meets 
with  my  approbation,  with  only  one  exception,  I mean  acting  Lieu- 
tenant   , whose  concern  for  himself  appears  to  have  rendered 

him  regardless  of  his  duty  as  an  officer.  Such  occasions  are  cal- 
culated to  excite  the  most  active  exertions  for  general  relief,  and 
afford  opportunities  of  displaying  a noble  disinterestedness.  In- 
stead of  cheering  those  under  his  command  to  manly  exertions,  it 
grieves  me  to  find  that  this  officer  was  inflicting  unnecessary,  per- 
haps unmerited  blows  upon  them.  Furlough  him  as  a midshipman, 
until  further  orders  from  this  department. 

If  there  should  be  any  situation  in  the  squadron,  to  which  you 
can  appoint  Lieutenant  Perry,  that  may  be  consistent  with  his  just 
pretensions,  and  not  interfere  with  the  ’rights  of  others,  you  will 
appoint  him  to  it;  if  not,  he  is  to  be  furloughed,  waiting  the  farther 
orders  of  this  department. 

‘‘  The  officers  and  crew  having  perhaps  suffered  in  their  private 
property,  may  each  receive  an  advance  of  two  months’  pay,  to 
afford  them  relief.  This  authority  is  to  be  exercised  according  to 
your  discretion. 

“You  will  cause  this  letter  to  be  publicly  read  to  Lieutenant 
Perry,  his  officers  and  crew. 

“ The  correctness  of  proceeding  on  the  part  of  the  court  of  in- 
quiry is  highly  approved,  and  to  the  members  who  compose  it, 
you  will  be  pleased  to  express  this  approbation. 

“ I am,  sir,  yours,  8cc., 

“ Paul  Hamilton. 

“ Com.  Rodgers,  New  London.” 


On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  1812,  Lieutenant 
Perry  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  United 
2X 


346 


COMMANDS  ON  LAKE  ERIE. 


States’  flotilla,  then  lying  in  the  harbour  of  Newport, 
with  the  rank  of  master-commandant.  This  place, 
however,  as  has  l^een  proved  by  subsequent  events, 
was  not  destined  for  the  theatre  of  active  service. 
To  a mind  so  enterprising  and  active,  a mere  nominal 
command,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  to  an 
office  where  a brave  man  is,  for  want  of  opposition,  in- 
cable of  distinguishing  himself,  is  irksome  and  destitute 
of  all  attractions.  It  soon  became  evident,  not  only 
from  the  declarations  made  on  the  floor  of  Congress, 
but  likewise  from  the  movements  of  General  Hull, 
that  the  occupation  of  Canada  was  our  object.  It 
became  then  a matter  of  primary  importance  to 
secure  the  possession  of  the  lakes.  Commodore 
Chauncey  was  selected  for  this  purpose  by  the  navy 
department,  to  whom  was  intrusted  the  superintend- 
ence and  direction  of  all  our  military  operations  on 
those  waters.  Captain  Perry  was  by  him  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  naval  forces  of  the  United 
States  on  Lake  Erie.  So  attached  were  the  men 
who  composed  his  squadron  lying  in  the  harbour  of 
Newport,  to  their  commander,  that  they  cheerfully 
followed  his  new  fortunes,  and  accompanied  him  to 
Lake  Erie.  At  the  time  that  General  Dearborn 
contemplated  an  attack  upon  Fort  George,  Commo- 
dore Perry  arrived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  our  army 
on  public  business.  This  fort,  it  is  well  known,  is 
situated  £it  the  communication  between  the  waters  of 
the  Lakes  Ontario  and  Erie,  and  just  above  the  Falls 
of  Niagara.  Commodore  Perry  immediately  volun- 
teered his  services,  which  were  as  promply  accepted 
by  General  Dearborn  and  Commodore  Chauncey, 
and  the  landing  of  our  troops  intended  for  the  attack, 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  FLEET.  347 

was  by  them  confided  to  him.  The  result  of  that 
action  is  so  well  known,  that  it  is  conceived  unneces- 
sary to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  reader  by  a more 
specific  detail. 

When  Commodore  Perry  was  appointed  to  com- 
mand the  United  States’  squadron  on  Lake  Erie, 
there  was  no  squadron  for  him  to  command.  The 
British  held  the  entire  and  exclusive  possession  of 
these  waters;  and  to  this  officer  was  confided  the 
important  duty  of  creating  a fleet,  in  the  face  of  a 
proud  and  insolent  foe.  The  Commodore  had  not 
only  to  contemplate  the  day  as  extremely  dubious 
and  distant  when  he  should  meet  his  enemy  on  fair 
and  honourable  terms  on  the  bosom  of  the  Lake,  but 
likewise  to  guard  against  surprise,  and  to  run  the  risk 
of  having  his  navy  destroyed  on  the  stocks.  He  had 
likewise  to  apprehend  every  thing  from  the  inexpe- 
rience of  his  own  sailors ; and,  it  is  hoped  that  it  will 
not  be  deemed  invidious  to  assert,  from  the  inexpe- 
rience of  his  Sifficers  also.  The  Commodore  himself 
had  never  seen  a naval  engagement;  it  is  true  that  he 
had  studied  the  theory  of  naval  rvarfare ; but  he  had 
known  nothing  of  active  operations.  He  had  never 
been  in  an  engagement  where  a single  ship  was  op- 
posed to  a single  ship  ; much  less  could  he  be  pre- 
sumed capable  of  calculating  all  the  hazards  and 
casualties  where  one  fleet  was  opposed  to  another. 
This  was  untried  ground,  and  on  which  the  Commo- 
dore, so  far  as  regards  the  knowledge  resulting  from 
experience,  was  almost  as  much  a novice  as  the  most 
ignorant  of  his  crew.  In  addition  to  this  formidable 
mass  of  obstructions,  he  had  to  encounter  the  genius 
of  Captain  Barclay  a man  who,  to  an  enterprising 


348 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  FLEET 


and  active  mind,  had  united  the  lessons  of  sober  ex- 
perience ; he  was  conversant  with  naval  science  both 
in  theory  and  in  practice : he  had  served  under 
Nelson ; and  in  the  battle  of  Trafalgar  his  wound 
was  an  evidence  of  his  courage  and  intrepidity — these 
were  the  apparently  unequal  terms  on  which  Commo- 
dore Perry  was  to  cope  wdth  his  gallant  competitor. 

These  difficulties,  which  in  ordinary  minds  w'ould 
only  excite  motives  of  despair,  were,  in  Commodore 
Perry’s,  subjects  only  of  active  and  of  persevering 
energy.  His  genius  seemed  to  expand  beneath  the 
pressure  of  the  foot  which  was  raised  for  its  extermi- 
nation. To  guard  against  the  approach  of  the  heavy 
vessels  of  the  enemy,  while  his  own  fleet  was  upon 
the  stocks,  he  selected  a place  denominated  the  har- 
bour of  Erie,  which,  from  the  shoalness  of  the  water, 
was  incapable  of  being  approached  by  vessels  loaded 
wuth  heavy  ordnance.  This  bay,  by  projecting  into 
the  main  land,  rendered  the  pass  defensible,  both  by 
armed  boats  and  by  the  militia,  who,  on  the  requisi- 
tions of  the  Commodore,  were  stationed  to  watch 
every  motion  of  the  enemy.  Here,  if  Captain  Bar- 
clay attempted  to  enter,  he  woflld  be  compelled  to 
relinquish  his  maritime  superiority — he  would  be 
compelled  to  forego  his  heavy  ships,  and  to  trust  his 
strength  in  boats,  which  might  be  opposed  by  an 
equal  force  on  the  water,  as  well  as  by  the  militia, 
who  were  stationed  to  prevent  his  advances.  His 
naval  pre-eminence  would  now  avail  him  nothing 
Under  such  auspices  did  Commodore  Perry  com- 
mence the  hazardous  undertaking  of  building  his  fleet. 
Frequently  were  alarms  excited,  and,  probably,  for 
nefarious  purposes  promulgated,  that  Captain  Barclay 


FC:<CE  OF  THE  FLEETS 


349 


intended  an  attack,  and  as  often  was  the  vigilance 
and  promptitude  of  Commodore  Perry  found  equal 
to  the  emergency.  The  militia  w^ere,  by  these  false 
alarms,  rendered  more  expert,  and  his  own  sailors 
were,  from  the  same  causes,  trained,  disciplined,  and 
inured  to  their  duty. 

These  are  some,  and  but  faint  views  of  the  difficul- 
ties which  Commodore  Perry  had  to  surmount. 
Many  minds  are  found  capable  of  comprehending 
things  in  the  mass,  which  cannot,  at  the  same  time, 
bear  all  the  tedious  minutiae  of  detail.  Commodore 
Perry,  however,  was  as  attentive  to  the  one  as  to  the 
other.  While  he  was  revolving  in  his  mind,  and 
anxiously  awaiting  for  the  day  when  he  should  meet 
his  opponent  on  equal  terms,  he  superintended  the 
whole  of  the  preparatory  arrangements,  and  displayed 
the  same  persevering  zeal  as  he  did  in  the  grander 
scenes  in  which  he  was  afterwards  called  to  act. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  1813, 
Commodore  Perry’s  fleet — consisting  of  the  brig 
Lawrence,  of  twenty  guns;  the  Niagara,  of  twenty; 
the  Caledonia,  of  three  ; the  schooner  Ariel,  of  four ; 
the  Scorpion,  of  two ; the  Somers,  of  two  guns  and 
two  swivels;  the  sloop  Trippe,  the  schooner  Tigress, 
and  the  Porcupine,  carrying  each  one  gun  only,  and 
making  in  the  aggregate  fifty-four  guns — were  lying 
in  Put-in  bay.  The  British  fleet,  commanded  by 
Commodore  Barclay,  were  discovered,  consisting 
of  the  ship  Detroit,  carrying  nineteen  guns ; the 
Queen  Charlotte,  seventeen ; the  schooner  Lady 
Prevost,  thirteen ; the  brig  Hunter,  ten ; the  sloop 
Little  Belt,  three;  and  the  schooner  Chippeway,  one 
— making  a difference  of  nine  guns  in  favour  of  the 

30 


350 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


British.  Commodore  Perry  preserving  the  weather* 
gage  of  his  antagonist,  bore  up  to  the  windward, 
and  formed  his  squadron  in  line  of  battle.  The 
enemy  commenced  firing,  and  as  he  mounted  long 
twenty-four,  eighteen,  and  twelve  pounders,  his  fire 
became  destructive.  The  Commodore  observing  this 
inequality  of  fire,  and  his  own  ship  being  the  princi- 
pal sufferer,  made  the  signal  for  close  action.  The 
Lawrence  was,  in  this  situation,  exposed  for  upwards 
of  two  hours  to  a fire  so  destructive  and  tremendous, 
that  every  brace  and  bowline  was  shot  away,  every 
gun  rendered  useless,  and  the  greater  part  of  her 
crew  either  killed  or  wounded. 

Commodore  Perry  lay  in  the  Lawrence  between  the 
Queen  Charlotte  and  the  Detroit,  with  the  schooners 
Ariel  and  Scorpion  on  his  weather-bow. 

While  the  battle  was  thus  raging,  the  gunboats,  on 
which  so  much  depended  in  such  a crisis,  and  which, 
from  the  facility  of  their  management,  were  capable 
of  such  speedy  and  effectual  annoyance  of  the  enemy, 
did  but  little  or  no  execution. 

This  is  a broad  outline  of  the  action,  and  of  the 
situation  of  the  respective  ships  at  this  critical 
moment.  Commodore  Perry  finding  that  no  more 
effective  hostility  could  be  done  in  the  Lawrence, 
hastily  left  her,  in  the  charge  of  his  brave  and  gallant 
lieutenant,  Yarnall,  and  immediately  proceeded  on 
board  the  Niagara,  bearing  the  commodore’s  flag,  on 
which  was  inscribed  the  dying  words  of  the  brave 
Lawrence,  ''Don’t  give  up  the  ship.”  He  passed  the 
line  of  the  enemy,  exposed  to  the  full  hazard  of  their 
musketry,  still  standing  in  the  boat,  a marked  and 
pointed  object,  until  he  was  forcibly  pulled  down  by 


351 


i 


UBRARY 
OF  THE 

university  of  ILLINOIS 


I 


« 


--S' 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


353 


his  own  men.  When  he  arrived  on  board  of  the 
Niagara,  the  crew  of  the  Lawrence — the  few  remain- 
ing crew — gave  three  cheers,  on  account  of  the  safety 
of  their  beloved  commander.  Commodore  Perry 
said,  addressing  Captain  Elliot,  “ Do  you  see  those 
infernal  gunboats — they  have  lost  us  the  victory.’’ 
“ No,”  exclaims  his  confederate,  “do  you  take  com- 
mand of  this  ship  and  I will  bring  up  the  boats.” 
This  was  what  Commodore  Perry  so  delicately  men- 
tions in  his  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  that 
Captain  Elliot  anticipated  his  wishes,  in  bringing  up 
the  boats. 

A fresh  breeze  springing  up  at  this  moment.  Com 
modore  Perry  availed  himself,  of  this  favourable 
opportunity,  and  plunged  through  the  enemy’s  line, 
giving  them  a raking  fire  from  the  right  and  left. 
Captain  Elliot  in  the  mean  time,  having  brought  up 
the  gunboats,  did  vigorous  execution,  by  plying  them 
in  different  directions,  for  which  kind  of  naval  service 
they  are  so  admirably  adapted.  The  enemy,  over 
whom  victory  seemed  to  hover  until  this  moment, 
were  compelled  to  strike  their  flags ; and  Captain 
Barclay,  who  was  fainting  below,  from  the  loss  of 
blood,  being  carried  on  deck,  agreed  that  nothing 
better  could  be  done. 

On  board  the  Lawrence  twenty-two  were  killed, 
and  sixty-one  wounded.  On  board  the  Niagara  two 
were  killed,  and  twenty-five  wounded.  On  board 
the  Caledonia  three  were  wounded ; and  on  board 
the  Ariel  two.  On  board  the  Trippe  and  the  Scor- 
pion two  only  were  wounded  in  each — making,  in  the 
whole,  one  himdred  and  twenty-three  in  killed  and 
2Y  30* 


354 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


wounded.  The  number  of  the  enemy’s  killed  and 
wounded  is  not  known. 

During  this  sanguinary  battle,  the  Lawrence,  after 
Commodore  Perry  had  left  her,  was  compelled  to 
strike  her  colours,  but  the  British  not  being  able  to 
take  possession,  the  flag  was  afterwards  rehoisted. ^ 

It  was  thought  by  many  persons  in  the  fleet  at  the 
time  of  the  battle,  that  Captain  Elliot  might  have 
come  into  close  action  before  Commodore  Perry 
boarded  his  vessel;  and  Perry  himself  expressed  this 
opinion,  and  called  on  the  proper  authorities  for  an 
official  inquiry  into  the  matter,  some  time  after. 
This  gave  rise  to  a controversy  which  has  not  yet 
terminated,  during  which  much  nautical  language, 
much  special  pleading,  and  many  diagrams  have  been 
employed  to  show  that  if  there  was  any  fault  it  was 
Perry’s,  and  not  Elliot’s.  But  public  opinion  chose 
to  regard  Perry  as  the  hero  of  the  day,  at  the  time 
of  the  battle,  and  the  lapse  of  nearly  thirty  years  has 
not  served  to  depress  his  reputation  in  public  estima- 
tion, notwithstanding  the  violence  with  which  it  has 
been  assailed.  If  there  ever  was  a victory  won  by 
the  extraordinary  exertions  of  the  commander-in- 
chief, it  was  this  on  Lake  Erie.  There  were  many 
circumstances  against  him — such  as  the  superior 
force  of  the  enemy,  the  sickness  of  many  of  his  men, 
while  those  of  the  British  are  admitted  to  have  been 
all  in  health,  and  the  fact  that  he  received  no  support 
from  the  Niagara  until  his  own  ship  was  disabled,  and 
he  was  compelled  to  shift  his  flag.  It  is  upon  these 
broad  and  undisputable  facts,  that  his  countrymen 


* Port  Folio. 


HONOURS  CONFERRED  ON  PERRY.  355 

have  assigned  him  a place  in  the  very  highest  rank 
of  their  naval  commanders,  from  which  detraction 
can  never  remove  him.  His  memory  and  his  nohle 
character  will  be  cherished  to  the  latest  time  as  a 
portion  of  the  nation’s  inheritance  of  glory. 

Previous  to  Perry’s  victory,  there  were  many  and 
mcessant  clamours  against  the  war,  and  many,  of 
both  the  friends  and  enemies  of  that  measure,  ven- 
tured to  prognosticate  that  the  American  officers 
were  unable  to  conduct  a fleet  in  action.  Every 
thing  of  this  kind  was  now  silenced,  and  friends  and 
enemies  of  the  war  all  united  to  do  honour  to  those 
to  whom  honour  was  so  justly  due.  In  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  services  in  this  action,  Perry  was  pro- 
moted, and  received  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  many 
state  legislatures;  but  he  rested  not  from  his  toils 
The  British  naval  force  on  the  Lake  was  now  sub- 
dued, and  Perry  quitted  naval  warfare  for  the  moment, 
to  engage  and  assist  in  the  enterprises  of  General 
Harrison,  on  land.  He  assisted  at  the  taking  of 
the  Moravian  towns,  on  the  5th  of  October  following 
his  own  victory. 

The  President  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Madison, 
in  his  message  to  Congress,  speaks  of  his  conduct  in 
the  highest  terms  of  praise,  as  reflecting  honour  on 
the  nation.  Captain  Perry  had  a command  on  the 
Potomac,  at  the  time  of  the  taking  of  Washington; 
but  it  was  so  small  as  to  he  inadequate  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  town,  and  no  blame  can,  therefore,  be 
attached  to  Perry.  After  the  end  of  the  war.  Perry 
took  part  in  the  operations  at  Algiers,  commanding 
the  frigate  Java,  under  Commodore  Decatur,  who,  in 
June,  1815,  captured  an  Algerine  frigate,  commanded 


356 


HEROIC  ACTION. 


by  Admiral  Reis  Hammida,  commonly  styled  the 
terror  of  the  seas.”  After  his  return  to  the  United 
States,  in  midwinter,  whilst  the  Java  was  lying  at 
Newport,  he  was  told  that  a merchant  vessel  had 
gone  to  pieces  on  a reef,  five  or  six  miles  from  that 
place,  and  that  the  crew  were  still  on  the  wreck,  at 
the  mercy  of  the  winds  and  waves.  He  manned  his 
barge,  and  said  to  the  rowers — “ Come,  my  boys ! 
we  are  going  to  the  relief  of  shipwrecked  seamen; 
pull  aw’ay.”  He  was  most  cheerfully  obeyed,  and, 
on  arriving  at  the  vessel,  found  eleven  men  on  the 
quarter-deck,  whom  they  rescued.  The  fame  of  this 
heroic  and  perilous  deed  spread  far  and  wide,  and 
the  great  mass  of  his  countrymen  declared  Perry  to 
be  as  worthy  of  the  civic  as  of  the  naval  crown. 

In  1819,  Perry  was  sent  in  the  John  Adams  to  the 
West  Indies,  with  sealed  orders.  He  had  the  com- 
mand of  the  squadron  on  that  station.  It  was  a 
command  of  importance,  for  the  seas  swarmed  with 
pirates,  who  vexed  the  commerce  and  committed  the 
most  atrocious  murders.  He  w^as  not  long  the 
guardian  of  those  seas.  The  yellow  fever  w’as  in 
the  squadron,  and  of  that  disease  he  died,  August 
23d,  1820,  just  as  he  was  entering  a port  of  Trini- 
dad. Thus  perished,  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  in  the 
midst  of  usefulness,  one  of  the  most  gallant  officers 
of  this  or  any  other  country.  He  was  buried  on  the 
24th,  with  military  honours.  Every  tribute  ol 
national  grief  was  paid  to  his  memory,  in  the  United 
States,  and  Congress  made  a liberal  provision  for  his 
family,  including  his  mother,  who  depended  on  him 
for  support. 

Commodore  Perry  married,  early  in  life,  a daughter 


CHARACTER  OF  PERRY.  357 

of  Dr.  Mason,  of  Newport,  and  was  happy  in  his 
domestic  ties.  He  was  a man  of  talents,  of  great  tact 
in  his  profession,  and  every  way  fitted  for  a great 
naval  commander.  His  intrepidity  was  the  effect  of 
nature  and  art  combined.  In  his  early  youth  he 
planned  in  imagination  what  he  would  one  day  be- 
come, and  he  very  nearly  fulfilled  his  boyish  predic- 
tions. He  always  adapted  the  means  to  the  ends, 
and  never  ventured  on  any  thing  that  was  not  feasible. 
His  mind  was  prolific,  but  well  balanced.  He  never 
was  swayed  from  his  purposes,  or  frightened  from 
his  propriety,”  always  acting  with  a wisdom  and 
gravity  beyond  his  years,  and  seldom  without  success. 

Commodore  Perry  was  in  person  of  a martial  cast, 
tall  and  well  proportioned,  yet  displaying  a fine  sym- 
metry of  limbs,  and  graceful  movement  of  the  body. 
The  expression  of  his  face  was  manly  and  intellectual, 
with  more  than  ordinary  traces  of  refinement. 

The  remains  of  Commodore  Perry  have  been 
brought  to  Newport,  and  a monument  has  been 
erected  to  his  memory  by  the  legislature  of  Rhode 
Island.^ 


* Portrait  Gallery. 


WILLIAM  BAINBRIDGE. 


I T T L E research 
is  necessary  to  find 
the  materials  of  this 
commander^s  life. 
It  has  already  em- 
ployed some  of  the 
ablest  pens  in  the 
country ; and  de- 
servedly, for  among 
the  many  who  have 
distinguished  them- 
selves in  the  youthful  noon  of  the  navy  of  our  coun- 
try, few  have  ranked  higher  than  Commodore  William 
Bainbridge.  By  his  own  merit  and  exertion,  he 
raised  himself  from  the  rank  of  a common  sailor,  on 
a merchantman,  to  the  highest  rank  of  the  navy,  and 
in  this  responsible  situation  conducted  himself  in 
such  a manner  as  to  win  the  approval  of  every  candid 
mind.  The  honour  of  his  nation,  the  dignity  of  his 
station,  the  respect  due  his  own  personal  character, — 
these  were  the  interests  he  ever  felt  bound  to  support, 
and  it  was  the  magnanimous  maintenance  of  these 
that  procured  him  renown  among  his  fellow-citizens. 

William  Bainbridge  was  born  at  Princeton, 
New'  Jersey,  May  7,  1774,  being  descended  from 
ancestors  of  high  standing,  who  had  for  several  gene- 
rations resided  in  New  Jersey.  His  father  was  a 

358 


EARLY  LIFE. 


359 


physician  of  some  eminence,  who  removed  to  the  city 
of  New  York  shortly  after  the  birth  of  his  fourth 
son,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  memoir.  Young 
Bainbridge  was  possessed  of  a bold  and  generous 
disposition  and  an  athletic  frame,  and  distinguished 
himself  in  every  boyish  undertaking  where  danger 
was  to  be  encountered.  John  Taylor,  his  maternal 
grandfather,  superintended  his  education,  and  early 
impressed  on  his  mind  the  importance  of  those  high 
moral  sentiments  which  were  subsequently  so  emi- 
nently displayed  in  his  character  and  actions.  At 
the  age  of  fifteen,  he  was  seized  with  a sudden  desire 
to  go  to  sea,  and  his  importunities  prevailing  upon 
his  parents,  he  was  placed  on  board  a merchantman 
about  sailing  from  Philadelphia.  When  only  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  first 
mate  of  a vessel  in  the  Holland  trade;  and  during 
the  voyage  suppressed  a mutiny  among  the  crew,  and 
saved  the  life  of  the  commander  by  his  own  intre- 
pidity and  energy  of  character.  For  this  act  of 
manly  conduct,  and  his  great  nautical  skill,  he  was 
appointed  captain  of  the  same  vessel,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen. 

In  the  year  1796,  lying  off  Bordeaux,  in  command 
of  the  Hope,  of  Philadelphia,  he  was  hailed  by  the 
officer  of  an  American  vessel,  whose  crew  had  risen 
in  mutiny.  He  hastened  on  board  and  quelled  the 
mutineers,  but  an  accidental  explosion  of  gunpowder 
had  nearly  cost  him  his  life.  The  same  year,  with 
an  armament  of  four  guns  and  eleven  men,  he  was 
fired  upon  by  a British  schooner,  of  eight  guns  and 
thirty  men  : after  a brisk  action,  the  enemy  struck, 
being  mu3h  injured  in  the  hull  and  rigging,  and  having 


360 


IMPRESSMENT. 


several  men  killed  and  wounded.  As  it  would  have 
been  illegal  to  take  possession  of  the  prize,  Bain- 
bridge  contented  himself  with  hailing  the  captain  of 
the  schooner  and  telling  him  to  ‘‘  go  about  his  busi- 
ness, and  report  to  his  masters  that  if  his  ship  was 
wanted  they  must  either  send  a greater  force  or  a 
more  skilful  commander.” 

Some  time  after  this  event,  while  homeward  bound, 
his  vessel  was  boarded  by  the  first  lieutenant  of  an 
English  cruiser,  and  one  of  his  men  impressed,  on 
pretence  of  his  being  a Scotchman,  despite  the  as- 
surances of  Bainbridge  to  the  contrary.  Five  days 
after,  Bainbridge  fell  in  with  an  English  brig  of  a 
force  superior  to  his  own,  and  having  seized  and  con 
veyed  to  his  own  vessel  one  of  the  English  marines, 
he  hailed  the  captain  and  informed  him  that  ‘‘he 
might  report*  that  Captain  William  Bainbridge  had 
taken  one  of  his  Majesty’s  subjects,  in  retaliation  for 
a seaman  taken  from  the  American  ship  Hope,  by 
Lieutenant  Norton,  of  the  Indefatigable  razee,  com- 
manded by  Sir  Edward  Pellew.”  The  captured 
seaman  received  good  wages,  and  was  discharged  as 
soon  as  he  reached  an  American  port,  in  no  way  dis- 
satisfied with  the  service  into  which  he  had  been  thus 
forced. 

The  bravery  and  decision  of  character  manifested 
by  Captain  Bainbridge,  in  these  little  affairs,  engaged 
the  notice  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  ap- 
pointed him  to  the  command  of  the  Betaliation,  a 
vessel  lately  taken  as  a prize  from  the  French,  by 
Captain  Decatur,  father  to  the  renowned  commodore 
of  that  name.  In  September,  1798,  the  Retaliation, 
ir.  company  with  the  Norfolk  and  Montezuma,  sailed 


SERV^ICE  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES.  361 

for  the  West  Indies,  under  the  command  of  Commo- 
dore Murray.  Cruising  off  Guadaloupe  the  following 
November,  three  sail  were  discovered  to  the  east, 
supposed  to  be  English ; and  two  other  vessels  hove 
in  sight  to  the  westward,  at  the  same  time.  Com- 
modore Murray  sailed  for  the  latter,  the  Norfolk 
accompanying  him ; while  Bainbridge  was  left  to 
examine  the  cruisers  to  the  eastward,  which,  instead 
of  being  British,  as  had  been  supposed,  unfortunately 
proved  to  be  French.  One  of  the  frigates,  L’lnsur- 
gente,  hoisted  the  French  flag,  fired  upon  the  Re- 
taliation, and  ordered  her  to  strike.  The  other,  Le 
Volontier,  ranging  alongside,  commanded  Bainbridge 
to  repair  on  board ; who  presented  his  sword  imme- 
diately on  reaching  the  deck.  The  Commodore,  St. 
Laurent,  politely  declined  the  praflered  submission, 
observing,  “that  as  he  had  had  no  opportunity  to 
defend  himself,  he  should  prefer  that  he  would  retain 
his  sword.”  The  two  frigates  immediately  made  sail 
in  chase  of  the  Montezuma  and  Norfolk,  but  as  the 
former  was  a ship  of  some  size.  Commodore  St. 
Laurent  felt  a little  apprehensive  of  permitting  L’ln- 
surgente — which  had  far  outstripped  his  own  vessel, 
and  was  now  a long  distance  ahead  of  her, — to  engage 
single-handed  with  a vessel  whose  force  might  be  su- 
perior to  his  own.  He,  therefore,  inquired  of  Bain- 
briclge  as  to  the  size  of  the  American  vessels.  The 
shrewd  Captain  replied,  with  great  coolness,  that  the 
ship  carried  twenty-eight  twelve  pounders,  and  the 
brig  twenty  nine  pounders,  thus  nearly  doubling  their 
real  force.  This  induced  the  Commodore  to  recal 
the  Insurgente  from  the  chase,  the  captain  of  which 
returned  much  chagrined,  declaring  that  he  could 
2 Z 31 


362 


CAPTIVITY. 


have  captured  both  in  ten  minutes,  as  there  was  not 
on  either  vessel  a gun  of  more  than  six  pounds.  St. 
Laurent  manifested  great  irritation  at  this  ruse  de 
guerre^  but  considering  the  deception  as  one  of  those 
frequently  practised  in  war,  and  justified  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case,  he  recovered  his  good  humour, 
and  treated  Bainbridge  with  great  courtesy  so  long 
as  he  remained  his  prisoner. 

The  prize  was  carried  into  Basseterre,  and  her 
officers  and  crew  ordered  to  a loathsome  prison  : but 
the  humane  interference  of  St.  Laurent  procured  for 
the  officers  permission  to  remain  on  board  the  frigate. 
The  governor  of  the  island,  General  Desfourneaux, 
wished  to  treat  with  Lieutenant  Bainbridge  as  the  re- 
presentative of  his  government,  promising  to  liberate 
the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Retaliation,  if  he  would 
consider  the  island  of  Guadaloupe  as  neutral  during 
the  war  between  the  United  States  and  France.  Bain- 
bridge replied  that  his  powers  extended  no  further 
than  an  exchange  of  prisoners  was  concerned ; that 
he  regarded  himself  and  crew  as  prisoners  of  war ; 
and  complained  deeply  of  the  barbarous  manner  in 
which  they  were  treated.  The  governor  admitted 
the  truth  of  his  complaint ; promised  again  and  again 
to  ameliorate  their  condition,  which  was  truly  de- 
plorable ; and  finally  placed  Bainbridge  and  his  crew 
in  possession  of  the  Retaliation,  fitted  out  a cartel  to 
convey  f)ther  American  prisoners,  who  had  been  con- 
fined in  Guadaloupe,  to  the  United  States,  and  the 
two  vessels  set  sail  in  company,  with  M.  Le  Blanc, 
the  governor’s  bearer  of  despatches  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States. 

Here  his  whole  conduct  was  highly  appro'^ed  by 


VISIT  OF  TOUSSAINT.  363 

the  government,  and  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  master-commandant,  and  put  in  command  of  the 
Norfolk,  which  his  address  had  saved  from  capture. 
He  received  orders  to  join  the  cruising  squadron  of 
Commodore  Truxtun,  and,  while  on  his  way  to  the 
station  in  the  West  Indies,  he  fell  in  with  a large, 
heavy,  three-masted  armed  schooner,  to  which  he  gave 
chase ; but  his  topmast  being  lost  by  carrying  sail,  he 
was  obliged  to  put  into  St.  Kitt’s  to  repair.  Here 
he  took  under  charge  a convoy  of  one  hundred  and 
nineteen  sail,  homeward  bound.  While  on  the  pas- 
sage, the  convoy  fell  in  with  an  enemy’s  frigate,  and 
Bainbridge,  giving  signal  to  the  convoy  to  disperse, 
drew  off  the  frigate  from  the  merchantmen,  and  oc- 
cupied her  till  nightfall,  when  he  gave  the  enemy  the 
slip,  and  succeeded  the  next  day  in  collecting  the 
whole  fleet. 

In  September,  1799,  the  Norfolk  sailed  from  Sandy 
Hook  for  the  West  Indies,  where  Bainbridge  received 
orders  from  Commodore  Perry, — father  of  the  re- 
nowned Oliver  H.  Perry, — to  cruise  off  Hispaniola. 
At  Cape  Francois,  he  waited  on  General  Toussaint, 
who  received  him  with  great  politeness,  and  accepted 
his  invitation  to  visit  him  on  board  his  ship.  Bain- 
bridge, in  return,  was  invited  to  dine  with  Toussaint, 
and,  during  the  conversation,  the  General  inquired 
of  him  how  he  meant  to  dispose  of  the  prisoners 
taken  from  the  brigand  Riego : offering,  at  the  same 
time,  to  take  charge  of  them,  if  Captain  Bainbridge 
were  willing.  Being  asked  how  he  proposed  to  treat 
them,  he  replied  that  he  would  drum  them  out,  and 
shoot  them ; upon  which  Captain  Bainbridge  assured 
him  that  if  he  were  to  accede  to  his  wishes  he  would 


364  CAPTURE  OF  THE  REPUBLICAN. 

be  in  danger  of  being  shot  himself  by  his  own  govern- 
ment. On  the  31st  October,  the  Norfolk,  with  her 
guns  housed,  and  otherwise  disguised  as  a merchant- 
man, was  pursued  by  an  armed  barge,  which  Bain- 
bridge  permitted  to  approach  till  within  gunshot, 
when  he  turned  about  and  poured  into  her  a deadly 
broadside.  There  being  a calm,  the  barge  succeeded 
in  escaping  to  shore,  where  the  boat  of  the  Norfolk 
pursued  and  captured  her,  finding  six  dead  or  dying 
in  and  aboui  the  boat.  Eight  days  after,  the  Nor- 
folk took  the  French  lugger  Republican,  with  her 
prize,  a sloop  loaded  with  coffee.  The  lugger  was 
destroyed,  and  her  prize  sent  in.  Shortly  after, 
Bainbridge  received  orders  to  cruise  off  Havana, 
where  he  was  joined  by  two  other  sloops  of  war,  the 
Warren  and  the  Pinckney.  The  whole  force  was 
placed  under  his  command,  and  was  well  employed 
in  protecting  the  commerce  of  the  United  States  till 
March,  1800,  when  his  cruise  being  up,  he  returned 
home,  and  anchored  off  Philadelphia. 

His  conduct  was  so  favourably  regarded  by  the 
President,  that  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain— the  highest  then  existing  in  the  navy;  and  in 
the  following  May  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 
George  Washington,  with  orders  to  carry  tribute  to 
the  Dey  of  Algiers.  Having  arrived  at  Algiers  and 
presented  the  tribute,  he  was  required  by  the  Dey  to 
carry  presents  to  Constantinople,  to  conciliate  the 
government  of  the  sublime  Porte,  whom  he  had 
offended  by  concluding  a treaty  with  France,  when 
Turkey  w^as  engaged  in  a war  with  Buonaparte,  in 
Egypt.  Bainbridge  remonstrated  in  vain  against  this 
unexpected  requisition.  The  Dey  reminded  him  that 


VOYAGE  TO  CONSTANTINOPLE.  365 

he  was  entirely  ir:  his  power,  and  threatened,  in  case 
of  his  refusing  to  comply  with  his  orders,  to  confine 
in  slavery  the  crew  of  the  frigate,  and  to  make  war 
on  the  American  trade.  Bainbridge  finally  yielded 
to  his  arbitrary  demands,  being  influenced  to  this  de- 
cision by  Richard  O’Brien,  the  American  consul, 
who  had  himself  been  imprisoned  in  Algiers,  and  was 
well  aware  of  the  power  of  the  barbarian  in  his  own 
territory. 

The  passengers,  upwards  of  two  hundred  in  num- 
ber, and  the  presents,  amounting  to  about  half  a mil- 
lion of  our  money,  were  placed  on  board,  and  the 
vessel  ready  to  sail  the  19th  of  October;  when  a 
difficulty  arose  in  regard  to  the  flag  she  was  to  carry. 
The  Dey  maintained  that,  as  the  frigate  conveyed  his 
ambassador,  the  Algerine  flag  should*  fly  at  the  main 
and  the  American  colours  be  carried  at  the  fore ; and 
Bainbridge,  finding  remonstrance  vain,  was  again 
obliged  to  yield  his  opinion  to  superior  force.  No 
sooner  had  he  passed  the  batteries,  however,  than  he 
gave  the  precedence  to  his  own  national  ensign,  and 
the  stars  and  stripes  waved  proudly  from  the  pinna- 
cle,— the  place  they  so  justly  deserved.  The  voyage 
was  a long  and  boisterous  one.  Contrary  winds  im- 
peded their  progress,  and  the  crowded  state  of  the 
vessel  greatly  interrupted  the  performance  of  its 
duties.  The  deck  was  crowded  with  cages  of  wild 
beasts  for  the  Sultan,  and  the  Mahometan  passengers, 
who  five  times  a day  performed  their  devotions,  with 
their  faces  towards  Mecca,  regulating  their  position 
by  the  compass  on  the  binacle,  where  they  stationed 
one  of  their  own  number  to  give  notice  of  any  change 
incident  to  the  tacking  of  the  ship.  Fearing  a long 

31# 


366  ARRIVAL  AT  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

detention  at  the  castles,  Bainbridge  had  recourse  to 
an  artifice  by  which  to  dispense  with  the  necessity 
of  a firman.  When  about  entering  the  harbour,  he 
fired  a salute,  at  the  same  time  clewing  sails  as  if  he 
meant  to  anchor.  The  guns  at  the  castles,  on  each 
side,  returned  the  salute,  and  being  enveloped  in  a 
cloud  of  smoke,  the  frigate  crowded  all  sail,  passed 
the  castles,  and  dropped  anchor  under  the  walls  of 
Constantinople,  November  9th.  A messenger  was 
sent  to  inquire  under  what  flag  Bainbridge  sailed  : he 
replied,  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  when  the  mes- 
senger remarked  that  no  such  country  as  the  United 
States  had  ever  been  heard  of  at  the  Porte,  and  de- 
sired him  to  state  more  explicitly  whence  he  came. 
He  then  reported  his  vessel  to  belong  to  the  new 
world,  which  Columbus  had  discovered ; upon  which 
the  messenger  returned  on  shore.*  He  returned, 
after  the  lapse  of  a few  hours,  and  presented  a lamb 
and  a bunch  of  flowers,  emblems  of  peace  and  wel- 
come. The  governor  of  the  castle  had  nearly  lost 
his  life  for  permitting  the  frigate  to  pass  without  a 
firman ; and  it  was  only  by  the  generous  representa- 
tions of  Bainbridge, — who  frankly  acknowledged  his 
error,  and  offered  to  bear  the  consequences  himself, — 
that  the  Capudan  Pacha  was  induced  to  withhold  his 
signature  from  the  governor’s  death  warrant. 

This  Capudan  Pacha,  whose  office  corresponds 
with  that  of  Lord  High  Admiral,  formed  a warm 
friendship  for  Bainbridge ; and  being  generous  and 
well  informed,  and  possessing  greater  influence  at 
court  than  any  other  subject,  this  attachment  proved 
of  great  service  to  the  commander  of  the  George 

* Harris. 


RETURN  TO  ALGIERS.  367 

Washington,  during  his  stay  at  Constantin  )ple.  On 
his  departure,  the  Pacha  furnished  him  with  a pass- 
port, which  subsequently  procured  for  himself,  and 
the  flag  under  which  he  sailed,  great  respect  at  the 
hands  of  the  Turks.  While  at  Constantinople,  Cap- 
tain Bainbridge  met  with  Daniel  Clarke,  the  cele- 
orated  traveller,  and  with  him  made  several  excursions 
into  the  neighbouring  country,  penetrating  as  far  as 
the  Black  sea,  where  were  displayed  for  the  first 
time  the  stars  and  stripes  of  republican  America. 

The  George  Wash'^gton  sailed  for  Algiers,  on 
the  30th  of  December,  1800,  and  anchored  without 
the  harbour,  on  the  2 1st  of  January  following.  The 
commander  resolved  not  again  to  place  himself  in  the 
power  of  the  Dey,  and  refused  to  anchor  within  the 
mole  until  he  should  promise  to  require  no  further 
service  of  himself  or  his  vessel.  The  necessity  of 
this  precaution  had  been  rendered  apparent  by  a re- 
quest which  the  Dey  had  sent  to  Bainbridge  to  re- 
turn to  Constantinople  with  his  ambassador.  The 
pledge  was  at  length  given,  though  with  reluctance; 
and  soon  after  bringing  the  frigate  to  her  new 
moorings,  Bainbridge  and  the  American  consul  were 
invited  to  wait  upon  the  Dey,  in  his  audience  cham- 
ber. They  were  received  wit  i harsh  words  and  a 
frowning  brow,  and  the  rage  of  the  despot  soon  burst 
forth  with  a fury  that  threatened  personal  violence. 
Surrounded  with  obedient  janizaries,  a nod  from  the 
monarch  would  have  cost  the  Americans  their  lives ; 
and  had  not  Bainbridge  haply  bethought  himself  of 
the  Capudan  Pacha’s  letter  of  protection,  the  re- 
maining moments  of  their  lives  would  doubtless  have 
•Deen  few.  The  paper  was  produced,  and  it  acted  as 


368  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  DEY. 

a charm,  changing  the  furious  despot,  in  a moment, 
to  a mild  and  even  servile  dependant.  Every  pro- 
fession of  friendship,  and  every  offer  of  service  were 
made,  and  the  subject  of  a second  voyage  to  Con- 
stantinople was  never  again  alluded  to. 

The  next  day,  the  Dey  caused  the  flag-staff  of  the 
French  consul  to  be  cut  down,  which  amounted  to  a 
leclaration  of  war  against  his  government ; and 
naving  no  other  object  upon  which  to  vent  his  fury, 
he  caused  the  consul,  with  all  the  French  residents  at 
Algiers,  to  be  cast  into  prison.  Bainbridge  humanely 
interfered  in  their  behalf,  and  procured  their  release 
on  condition  that  they  should  leave  his  territory 
within  forty-eight  hours.  No  other  vessel  but  the 
George  Washington  could  be  procured  to  carry  them 
from  the  Dey’s  power,  and,  notwithstanding  the  war 
then  existing  between  France  and  our  government, 
Bainbridge  undertook  to  convey  them  to  a place  of 
safety;  and  by  extraordinary  exertions  the  vessel 
was  got  ready  and  sailed  from  the  harbour  within  an 
hour  of  the  expiration  of  the  time  allowed  the  French 
to  escape.  He  landed  his  passengers  at  Alicant,  and 
then  sailed  for  the  United  States,  where  he  found 
that  his  conduct  was  highly  approved  by  the  govern- 
ment. 

In  May,  1801,  Captain  Bainbridge, — who  had 
been  retained  in  the  service  on  the  reduction  of  the 
number  of  officers, — was  appointed  to  the  Essex,  a 
man  of  war  carrying  fifty-eight  twelve  pounders,  with 
orders  to  join  a squadron  about  sailing  for  the  Medi- 
terranean. Besides  the  Essex,  there  were  two  other 
frigates,  the  President  and  the  Philadelphia,  and  the 
schooner  Enterprise.  The  squadron  was  under  the 


COMMANDS  THE  PHILADELPHIA. 


369 


command  of  Commodore  Richard  Dale,  and  its  ob- 
ject in  sailing  was  to  protect  the  American  com- 
merce from  the  attacks  of  the  Tripolitan  cruisers.  It 
reached  Gibraltar  on  the  1st  of  July,  when  it  fell  in 
with  two  Tripolitan  corsairs,  commanded  by  a Scotch 
renegade,  in  the  capacity  of  admiral.  The  frigate 
Philadelphia  was  directed  to  watch  these  vessels, 
while  the  Essex  was  despatched  to  the  northern 
coast  to  collect  American  merchantmen,  and  conduct 
them  through  the  straits  of  Gibraltar.  While  en- 
gaged in  this  duty.  Captain  Bainhridge  and  his 
officers  received  frequent  insults  from  some  of  the* 
Spanish  officers  at  Barcelona,  which  appear  to  have 
been  induced  by  jealousy  of  the  praises  bestowed 
upon  the  Essex  for  her  beauty  and  order.  The  com- 
mander displayed  on  this  occasion  his  usual  spirit 
and  perseverance,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  from 
the  offending  officers  a satisfactory  apology.  The 
Essex  convoyed  merchantmen  through  the  straits 
during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1802,  when,  being 
in  want  of  repairs,  she  was  ordered  home.  Bain- 
bridge  was  soon  after  appointed  to  tbe  command  of 
the  Philadelphia,  to  cruise  in  the  Mediterranean, 
under  Commodore  Preble.  Each  vessel  sailed  as  it 
was  ready,  and  the  Philadelphia,  with  a crew  of  over 
three  hundred  men,  entered  the  straits  on  the  24th 
of  August.  On  the  night  of  the  26th,  Bainhridge 
fell  in  with  a ship  and  a brig  in  company,  both  under 
short  canvass.  Anxious  to  know  their  character,  he 
hailed  the  ship,  and,  after  much  evasion  on  the  part 
of  the  captain,  ascertained  her  to  be  a Moorish 
cruiser,  the  Meshtoha,  with  a crew  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  men  ; and  was  informed  that  the  brig  was 
3 A 


370 


THE  THIIADELPHIA  GROUNDS. 


an  American,  which  they  had  boarded  but  not  de- 
tained. This  excited  the  suspicions  of  Bainbridge, 
and  he  sent  his  first  lieutenant  to  board  the  Meshtoha. 
This  attempt  was  resisted  till  an  armed  boat  was 
sent,  when  no  farther  opposition  being  made,  the 
frigate  was  searched.  The  officers  and  crew  of  the 
brig  were  found  under  the  hold,  having  been  captured 
by  the  Moorish  cruiser,  nine  days  before.  The  ship 
was  taken,  and  the  next  day  the  brig  was  also 
captured,  and  with  this  prize,  Bainbridge  put  into 
Gibraltar.  He  found  by  the  papers  of  the  Moorish 
commander,  that  he  had  permission  from  the  governor 
of  Mogadore  to  cruise  for  American  vessels,  although 
Morocco  was  ostensibly  at  peace  with  the  United 
States.  But  this  capture  was  a strong  check  to 
Moorish  depredations,  and  prevented  any  repetition 
of  the  offence  by  that  power. 

A short  time  after,  while  cruising  off*  Tripoli,  Bain 
bridge  was  informed  that  a corsair  belonging  to  this 
government  had  sailed  on  a cruise  the  day  previous. 
Lieutenant  commandant  Smith,  of  the  Vixen,  was 
despatched  in  pursuit.  On  the  21st  of  October,  as 
the  Philadelphia  was  making  sail  to  recover  her  posi- 
tion before  Tripoli,  from  which  she  had  been  driven 
by  westerly  winds,  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning 
they  perceived  a vessel  ahead,  which  proved  to  be 
one  of  the  Bashaw’s  cruisers.  All  sail  was  made  in 
pursuit,  but,  owing  to  Bainbridge’s  ignorance  of  the 
soundings,  and  the  imperfection  of  his  charts,  his 
vessel  struck  on  a reef,  and  every  attempt  to  force 
the  ship  over  the  obstacle,  or  back  her  by  the  stern, 
proved  unavailing.  The  anchors  were  cut  away,  the 
guns — except  those  aft — and  other  heavy  articles 


1 


CAPTIVITY. 


371 


were  cast  overboard,  the  foremast  cut  away,  but  the 
frigate  could  not  be  moved  from  her  unlucky  position. 
Having  been  for  five  hours  exposed  to  the  fire  of 
numerous  gunboats,  and  a council  of  officers  having 
decided  that  every  means  to  get  the  ship  off  had  been 
used,  and  that  there  was  no  hope  of  saving  her,  the 
flag  was  struck  at  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon. 
Possession  was  taken  about  sunset,  and  the  vessel 
entered  at  every  port.  Officers  and  crew  were  plun- 
dered, indiscriminately,  of  every  thing  valuable  they 
possessed,  and  almost  every  rag  of  clothing.  Bain- 
bridge  submitted  to  their  pillage,  till  some  barbarian 
attempted  to  force  from  him  a miniature  of  his  wife, 
which  he  successfully  resisted.  About  ten  o’clock 
they  were  landed,  and  conducted  to  the  Bashaw’s 
audience  chamber,  where,  after  a brief  interview,  he 
ordered  them  to  another  apartment,  where  a supper 
was  provided  for  them.  They  were  then  placed  in 
charge  of  the  minister  of  state,  Sidi  Mohammed 
Dgheis,  and  conducted  to  the  house  of  the  late 
American  consul,  which  was  for  a time  to  be  their 
prison.^ 

Their  confinement  was  long  and  irksome,  and 
terminated  only  with  the  war.  The  Danish  consul, 
Mr.  Nissen,  proved  a warm  friend  to  the  American 
captives ; procured  books  to  relieve  the  tediousness 
of  their  confinement ; and  devised  means  for  a cor- 
respondence between  Bainbridge  and  Commodore 
Preble.  The  Bashaw  employed  all  his  captured 

* Bainbridge  was  greatly  gratified  by  the  receipt,  on  the  following 
day,  of  a letter  from  all  his  officers,  in  which  they  assured  him  of  their 
warmest  sympathies,  and  their  conviction  that  the  charts  and  soundings 
warranted  his  near  approach  to  the  shore, — which  was  the  material 

pcpnt. 


372 


CAPTIVITY. 


seamen  in  basiness  connected  with  their  trades,  or  at 
work  on  the  fortifications.  He  allowed  them  wages 
for  extra  work,  and,  as  they  were  permitted  to  walk 
through  the  streets,  two  or  three  at  a time,  th«y 
generally  managed  to  spend  the  money  thus  obtained 
in  purchasing  grog,  and  then  returned  reeling  to  their 
prison.  They  were  thus  exposed  to  frequent  col- 
lisions with  the  Tripolitans,  and  often  were  punished 
by  the  bastinado,  which  the  under  slave-driver, — 
whose  humanity  greatly  favoured  them, — administer- 
ed with  little  severity.  During  the  fast  of  Ramadan, 
the  prisoners  were  treated  with  unusual  kindness  by 
the  Mahometans,  who  are  required,  during  this  period 
of  thirty  days,  to  show  hospitality  and  mercy  to 
enemies.  On  the  occasion  of  the  Bairam  festival, 
which  immediately  followed,  Captain  Bainbridge  and 
his  first  lieutenant,  Mr.  David  Porter,  were  invited  to 
the  Bashaw’s  palace,  where  this  dignitary  received 
them  in  great  state.  Having  partaken  of  sherbet  and 
coffee,  they  visited  the  prime  minister,  who  received 
them  in  like  manner ; and  then  the  minister  of  state, 
Sidi  Mohammed  Dgheis.  The  kind  interposition  of 
this  amiable  minister  procured  for  the  officers  per- 
mission to  ride  out  into  the  country  to  breathe  the 
pure  air,  inhale  the  delightful  odour  of  the  orange 
groves,  and  forget,  in  the  beauties  of  nature,  the  hard 
lot  to  which  they  were  condemned. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1804,  the  Philadelphia 
was  destroyed ; and  the  brave  Americans  who  had 
devised  and  achieved  this  brilliant  enterprise,  waited 
but  sufficient  force  to  procure  their  countrymen’s 
release.  About  the  1st  of  August,  a large  fleet  was 
visible  in  the  offing,  but,  in  consequence  of  a heavy 


TREATY. 


373 


gale,  it  soon  disappeared.  A few  days  after,  the  force 
reappeared,  and  then  ensued  the  memorable  attack 
of  the  3d  of  August.  On  the  night  of  the  14th  of 
September,  occurred  the  terrible  catastrophe  in  which 
the  gallant  Somers  perished ; and  from  this  time  the 
din  of  war  ceased. 

The  moment  of  their  relief  at  length  arrived.  The 
consul  general  for  Barbary  appeared  off  the  coast, 
as  American  negotiator ; and  the  Spanish  consul,  as 
agent  for  the  Bashaw,  was  ordered  lo  confer  with 
him  on  board  the  Constitution.  Some  little  difficul- 
ties occurred  to  the  adjustment  of  the  terms,  and  the 
minister  of  state  proposed  that  Bainbridge  should  go 
on  board  the  frigate,  and  that  by  his  endeavours  the 
peace  might  be  hastened.  The  wily  Bashaw  scoffed 
at  the  proposal,  believing  no  reliance  could  be  placed 
on  the  word  of  a “Christian  dog;”  and  it  was  not 
till  the  generous  minister  had  offered  his  own  son  as  a 
pledge  for  Bainbridge’s  return,  that  the  chief  yielded 
his  consent  to  the  proposals.  On  the  1st  of  June, 
1805,  Bainbridge  repaired  on  board  the  Constitution, 
and  passed  the  whole  day  among  the  squadron ; but 
he  returned  in  the  evening  with  little  hope  of  the 
success  of  the  negotiation.  The  Bashaw  rejected 
with  disdain  the  terms  proposed  by  him,  and  Mr. 
Nissen  was  sent  on  board  the  frigate  to  confer  with 
fix'  American  agent.  These  agreed  upon  the  basis 
of  a treaty,  and  on  the  next  day  a council  was  as- 
sembled by  the  Bashaw,  tQ  which  was  referred  the 
articles  for  ratification  or  rejection.  Bainbridge  was 
invited  to  be  present,  and  on  his  entering  the  council- 
hall,  the  Bashaw  informed  him  that  he  conferred  on 
him  an  honour  never  before  received  by  a prisoner 

32 


374  RELEASE  OF  PRISONERS. 

in  Barbary,  in  thus  adnitting  him  to  his  private 
divan ; and,  in  order  to  enable  him  to  understand  the 
debates,  he  caused  them  to  be  carried  on  in  French. 

The  Bashaw  then  proposed  to  the  divan  the  ques- 
tion of  “ peace  or  war  with  the  United  States.  The 
members  were  equally  divided  on  the  question,  and 
the  Bashaw  remarked : Four  of  you  for  peace,  and 

four  for  war ; which  party  am  I to  satisfy  ? — how  am 
I to  act?”  Sidi  Mohammed  rose  and  addressed 
him,  “ You  are  our  prince  and  master — you  have  not 
called  us  here  to  dictate  to  you,  but  to  hear  our 
opinions.  It  remains  now  for  you  to  act  as  you 
please ; but  let  me  entreat  you,  for  your  own  interest, 
and  the  happiness  of  your  people,  to  make  peace.” 
The  prince  drew  his  signet  from  his  bosom,  affixed 
it  to  the  treaty,  and  pronounced,  It  is  peace ^ The 
treaty  was  conveyed  back  to  the  frigate ; the  salutes 
of  peace  followed ; and  thus  the  war  terminated. 

The  exchange  of  prisoners  was  made,  and  shortly 
after  the  squadron  sailed  with  the  rescued  captives, 
who,  after  nineteen  months  passed  in  painful  captivity, 
rejoiced  to  find  themselves  free,  on  the  decks  of 
United  States’  men  of  war.  A Court  of  Inquiry  for 
the  loss  of  the  Philadelphia,  was  held  at  Syracuse, 
in  the  latter  part  of  June,  by  which  the  officers  were 
most  honourably  acquitted.  His  country  judged 
fairly  of  Bainbridge  in  this  affair ; not  a word  of  re- 
proach has  been  uttered  against  him,  while  his  suffer- 
ings have  procured  him  the  warmest  sympathy.  The 
officers  of  the  Philadelphia  reached  home  in  the  fall 
of  1805,  and  Bainbridge  hastened  to  see  a loved 
family  from  whom  he  had  been  so  long  severed.  In 
a few  months  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 


NARROW  ESCAPE. 


375 


the  Navy  Yard  at  New  York;  but,  as  his  pecuniary 
affairs  were  somewhat  embarrassed,  he  procured  a 
furlough,  and  for  nearly  two  years  engaged  in  the 
merchant  service. 

An  accident  happened  to  him  while  engaged  in 
this  service,  which  had  nearly  deprived  his  country 
of  his  subsequent  valuable  services,  and  brought  him, 
in  the  flower  of  his  age,  to  a watery  grave.  As  he 
was  returning  from  a visit  to  Captain  Hays,  in  his 
own  vessel,  while  near  the  Bahama  bank,  in  the  act 
of  stepping  from  the  boat  to  the  Minerva,  a wave 
struck  the  boat,  and  he  was  thrown  between  it  and 
the  ship.  Unable  to  swim,  he  immediately  sunk,  but 
soon  appeared  at  the  stern  of  the  vessel.  The  mate 
seized  the  main-brace,  and  in  attempting  to  jump  off 
with  it  that  he  might  place  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
commander,  his  feet  became  entangled  in  it,  and  he 
did  not  reach  the  water.  Bainbridge  sunk  a second 
time,  and  though  various  articles  were  thrown  out 
for  him  to  seize,  he  failed  in  reaching  any  of  them, 
and  sunk  a third  time.  While  slowly  sinking,  he 
perceived  the  deep-sea  line  near  him,  and,  by  strong 
exertions,  succeeded  in  drawing  himself  to  the  surface 
with  its  aid,  when  he  was  taken  up  by  the  boat  much 
exhausted.  The  deep-sea  line  had  been  cast  out  by 
his  mulatto  servant,  Will,  on  hearing  that  his  master 
was  overboard,  and  this  was  the  means  of  saving  his 
life. 

In  March,  1808,  he  was  appointed  to  the  Portland 
station,  and  in  December  following,  he  received  the 
command  of  the  President,  forty-four.  A war  with 
England  was  confidently  expected,  and  the  President 
cruised  along  our  coast,  in  readiness  for  war,  from 


376  IN  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE. 

July,  1809,  till  the  following  spring,  when,  as  there 
appeared  a likelihood  of  an  amicable  adjustment  of 
difficulties  with  England,  Bainbridge  engaged  again 
in  the  merchant  service,  and  sailed  for  St.  Peters 
burgh. 

On  his  way,  he  was  taken  by  a Danish  cruiser, 
and  conveyed  into  Copenhagen.  His  friend,  Mr. 
Nissen,  was  with  him  in  a short  time,  and  his  ex- 
ertions soon  procured  the  release  of  Bainbridge’s 
vessel.  It  is  mentioned,  as  a remarkable  coincidence, 
that  at  the  moment  the  ex-consul  was  apprised  of 
Bainbridge’s  arrival,  he  was  actually  employed  in 
unpacking  a silver  urn,  which  he  had  just  received 
from  the  officers  of  the  Philadelphia,  as  a testimony 
of  their  gratitude  for  his  former  kindness. 

Bainbridge,  shortly  after,  sailed  up  the  Baltic,  and 
continued  in  this  trade  till  the  action  between  the 
British  vessel  Little  Belt,  and  his  late  ship,  the  Pre- 
sident; on  the  news  of  which  he  crossed  to  the  At- 
lantic coast  over  land, — a distance  of  eleven  hundred 
miles.  During  this  journey,  he  was  driven,  through 
the  carelessness  of  the  coachman,  over  a precipice  of 
thirty  feet,  and  though  severely  bruised,  his  persever- 
ing spirit  enabled  him  to  reach  Gotheburg,  (Decem- 
ber 20th.)  On  the  31st,  he  sailed  for  England,  and 
twice  in  the  course  of  the  voyage,  his  energy  and 
presence  of  mind,  in  moments  of  danger,  saved  the 
English  vessel  in  which  he  sailed,  and  the  lives  of 
his  fellow  passengers  from  impending  destruction. 
He  delivered  despatches  to  the  American  minister  in 
London,  set  sail  for  Boston,  and  arrived  there  early 
in  February,  whence  he  hastened  to  Washington, 
and  reported  himself  as  ready  for  active  service. 


COMMAISDS  THE  C O ]N  ST  IT  UTT  ON.  377 

But  the  cabinet  decided  against  placing  our  few 
vessels  of  war  in  contest  with  the  powerful  navy  of 
Britain  ; and  it  was  not  until  Captain  Bainbridge  and 
Commodore  Stewart  had  represented  in  forcible  lan- 
guage the  evil  effects  that  would  result  from  such  a 
course  of  proceeding,  that  their  former  decision  was 
countermanded,  and  our  men  of  war  permitted  to 
cruise.  Having  effected  this  grand  object,  Bain- 
bridge returned  to  Boston,  and  took  charge  of  the 
navy  yard  at  Charlestown. 

The  United  States  declared  war  against  Great 
Britain  on  the  18th  of  June,  1812,  and  it  is  not  to  be 
supposed  that  one  so  adventurous  as  Bainbridge 
could  be  satisfied  to  remain  on  shore,  comparatively 
inactive,  when  danger  and  glory  were  to  be  courted 
on  the  sea.  He  applied  for  the  command  of  a frigate, 
and  was  appointed  to  the  Constellation,  thirty-eight, 
with  orders  to  prepare  her  for  sea  with  all  despatch. 
His  arrangements  were  not  yet  completed,  when 
Captain  Hull  arrived  in  Boston  with  the  Constitu- 
tion, after  achieving  his  splendid  victory  over  the 
Guerriere.  As  Hull  was  obliged  to  resign  his  com- 
mand, on  account  of  some  private  affairs  which  re- 
quired his  immediate  attention,  Bainbridge  requested 
to  be  transferred  to  his  frigate.  This  request  was 
complied  with,  and  the  Essex  and  Hornet  being  also 
placed  under  his  orders  at  the  same  time,  he  hoisted 
his  broad  pennant  on  board  the  Constitution,  Sep- 
tember 15th,  1812. 

The  Essex,  then  in  the  Delaware,  was  ordered  to 
rendezvous  at  the  Cape  de  Verde  isles;  but  she  was 
prevented  by  the  events  of  the  cruise  from  joining  the 
rest  of  the  squadron.  The  Constitution  and  Hornet 
3 B 32* 


378 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  JAVA 


sailed  on  the  26th  October,  and  arrived  otf  St.  Sal- 
vador on  the  13th  December.  On  the  29th,  in  lati- 
tude 13°,  6'  south,  and  about  ten  leagues  from  the 
coast  of  Brazil,  the  Constitution  fell  in  with  an 
enemy’s  frigate,  the  Java,  bound  for  the  East  Indies, 
with  a number  of  supernumerary  officers  and  seamen 
for  the  Bombay  station.  The  Commodore,  finding 
the  frigate  fairly  within  his  reach,  prepared  with 
alacrity  for  action.  The  stranger  showed  English 
colours,  and  bore  down  with  the  intention  of  raking 
the  Constitution.  Bainbridge  avoided  this,  and  the 
enemy  having  hauled  down  colours,  and  left  flying  a 
jack  only,  the  Commodore  gave  orders  to  fire  ahead 
of  the  enemy  to  make  him  show  full  colours.  This 
was  returned  with  a full  broadside,  and  a general 
action  commenced,  both  ships  striving  to  rake  and  to 
avoid  being  raked* 

Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  action,  Bain- 
bridge received  a ball  in  the  hip ; and  a few  minutes 
later  a shot  carried  away  the  wheel,  and  drove  a small 
bolt  with  violence  into  his  thigh.  These  injuries  did 
not  induce  him  to  sit  down,  and  he  continued  on 
deck,  giving  orders,  until  eleven  o’clock  at  night.  The 
action  lasted  an  hour  and  fifty-five  minutes,  when  the 
enemy  struck  her  flag,  and  the  American  Commodore 
sent  Lieutenant  Parker  to  take  possession.  The 
Java  was  commanded  by  Captain  Lambert,  a distin- 
guished officer,  who  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died 
a few  days  after  the  battle.  The  enemy’s  loss  was 
not  less  than  sixty  killed  and  one  hundred  wounded. 
The  Constitution  lost  nine  killed,  and  twenty-five 
wounded.  The  two  vessels  presented  a striking  con- 
trast ‘n  appearance,  at  the  close  of  the  action : the 


CoDstitutiou  aud  Java. 


379 


IIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UHIVERSITY  of  ILLINOIS 


RETURN  TO  BOSTON 


381 


Constituliion  “ actually  coming  out  of  the  battle  as 
she  had  gone  into  it,  with  royal-yards  across,  and 
every  spar,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  in  its 
place,”  though  some  of  them  were  considerably  in- 
jured; while  the  Java  lay  upon  the  water  an  unma- 
nageable wreck,  with  every  spar  shot  away,  and  but  a 
few  stumps  left  standing.  Bainbridge  displayed  great 
kindness  in  the  treatment  of  his  prisoners,  and  having 
destroyed  his  prize,  he  landed  his  captives  at  St. 
Salvador,  on  parole  of  honour  not  to  engage  in  hos- 
tilities against  the  United  States,  until  exchanged. 

The  Constitution  soon  returned  home  for  repairs, 
and  Bainbridge  entered  Boston  harbour  in  triumph, 
as  cordially  greeted  for  his  present  successes,  as  he 
had  formerly  been  sympathized  with  for  his  misfor- 
tunes. He  resumed  the  command  of  the  Charles- 
town yard;  and  remained  in  this  office  till  the  fitting 
out  of  a squadron  for  the  Mediterranean,  in  the 
spring  of  1815.  This  squadron  was  taken  out  by 
Decatur,  to  act  against  the  Dey  of  Algiers;  and 
Bainbridge,  who  followed  as  chief  commandant,  did 
not  arrive  until  the  war  had  been  brought  to  a suc- 
cessful close:  but  in  the  course  of  the  cruise,  the 
latter  settled  several  difficulties  with  the  states  of 
Barbary.  He  had  under  his  command  eighteen  or 
twenty  cruisers,  being  a larger  naval  force  than  had 
ever  before  sailed  under  our  flag. 

Bainbridge  continued  to  reside  at  Boston  until 

1819,  when  he  performed  the  last  piece  of  duty  afloat, 
in  another  cruise  in  the  Mediterranean,  being  his 
fifth.  He  sailed  in  the  Columbus,  eighty,  in  April, 

1820,  the  principal  object  of  the  cruise  being  to  im- 
press the  nations  on  the  coast  with  an  idea  of  the 


382 


DEATH  OF  BAINBRIDGE. 


strength  of  our  navy,  and  the  necessity  of  respecting 
the  rights  of  the  republic.  Having  effected  this  ob- 
ject, visited  the  Barbary  powers,  and  spent  some  time 
at  Naples,  he  was  relieved  by  Commodore  Jones, 
and  returned  home. 

The  remaining  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  ac- 
tive service  on  land.  He  commanded  at  Charlestown 
and  at  Philadelphia;  he  served  for  three  years  at  the 
head  of  the  Board  of  Navy  Commissioners,  at  Wash- 
ington ; and  having,  finally,  been  obliged  to  give  up 
his  command  at  Boston,  owing  to  the  decline  of  his 
health,  and  the  severity  of  the  climate,  he  returned 
to  Philadelphia,  in  March,  1832,  with  a constitution 
broken  down  by  disease.  He  lingered  on  till  the 
28th  of  July,  when  he  calmly  yielded  up  his  spirit  to 
its  Giver,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years,  two  months 
and  twenty-one  days.  His  intellect  remained  unim- 
paired, till  an  hour  or  two  before  his  death,  when  it 
occasionally  wandered.  He  called  for  his  pistols 
about  this  time,  and  as  this  demand  was  not  complied 
with,  he  raised  his  once  noble  frame  in  his  bed,  and 
vehemently  demanding  these  instruments,  ordered  all 
hands  to  be  called  to  board  the  enemy ! 

A biographer  thus  portrays  his  personal  appear- 
ance and  character : 

“ Commodore  Bainbridge  was  a man  of  fine  and 
commanding  personal  appearance.  His  stature  was 
about  six  feet,  and  his  frame  was  muscular  and  of 
unusually  good  proportions.  His  face  was  handsome, 
particularly  in  youth,  and  his  eye  uncommonly  ani- 
mated and  piercing.  In  temperament  he  was  ardent 
and  sanguine ; but  cool  in  danger,  and  of  a courage 
of  proof.  His  feelings  were  vehement,  and  he  was 


CHARACTER  OF  BAINBRIDGE.  383 

quickly  roused ; but  generous  and  brave,  he  was 
easily  appeased.  Like  most  men  who  are  excitable, 
but  who  are  firm  at  bottom,  he  was  calmest  in  the 
moments  of  greatest  responsibility.  He  was  hospita- 
ble, chivalrous,  magnanimous,  and  a fast  friend.  His 
discipline  was  severe,  but  he  tempered  it  with  much 
consideration  for  the  wants  and  health  of  his  crews. 
Few  served  with  him  who  did  not  love  him, — for 
the  conviction  that  his  heart  was  right  was  general 
among  all  who  knew  him.  There  was  a cordiality 
and  warmth  in  his  manner,  that  gained  him  friends, 
and  those  who  knew  him  best,  say  he  had  the  art  of 
keeping  them.  ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ To  his  dying 

hour,  Bainbridge  continued  the  warm-hearted  friend, 
the  chivalrous  gentleman,  and  the  devoted  lover  of 
his  country’s  honour  and  interests.” 


CHARLES  STEWART. 


(HE  ability  and  eminent  ser- 
vices of  Commodore  Stewart 
have  not  only  placed  him  in 
a very  elevated  rank  among 
the  naval  commanders  of  the 
United  States,  but  have  been 
considered  by  many  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  as  giving  him  a claim  to  the  highest 
mark  of  their  confidence  which  their  suffrages  can 
confer.  Whatever  difference  of  opinion  may  exist 
as  to  the  fitness  of  the  commodore  for  civil  stations, 
it  is  certain  that  his  abilities  have  always  been  found 
equal  to  the  occasion  which  called  them  forth,  either 
upon  the  land,  or  upon  his  favourite  field,  the  ocean. 

Charles  Stewart  was  born  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, on  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  July,  1778,  the 
month  after  the  British  army  evacuated  the  city. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland.  It  was  his  mis- 
fortune to  lose  his  father  before  he  had  attained  his 
second  year.  He  was  the  youngest  of  eight  children. 
On  the  death  of  his  father,  his  mother  was  left,  in 
the  midst  of  the  revolution,  with  four  children  to 

384 


COMMANDS  THE  EXPERIMENT.  385 

provide  for,  and  with  limited  means  for  their  support 
and  education.  Being,  however,  a woman  of  talents 
and  great  energy,  she  was  not  found  wanting  in  this 
arduous  task. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen,  Charles  sought  and  found 
employment  in  the  merchant  service,  in  which  he 
rose,  through  the  several  grades,  from  the  situation 
of  cabin  boy,  to  the  command  of  an  Indiaman ; and 
here,  in  the  full  tide  of  successful  mercantile  enter- 
prise, he  relinquished  all  that  he  had  toiled  for,  and 
offered  himself  to  the  service  of  his  country.  On 
the  ninth  of  March,  1798,  he  was  commissioned 
lieutenant  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  and 
received  orders  to  join  the  frigate  United  States, 
then  in  command  of  Commodore  John  Barry.  He 
continued  in  this  ship  until  July,  1800.  Part  of  this 
time  the  frigate  was  employed  in  the  West  Indies,  to 
look  after  and  restrain  the  French  privateers,  and  to 
protect  our  commerce  against  their  depredations,  in 
which  service  she  was  eminently  successful.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  the  frigate  was  engaged  in 
transporting  the  commissioners  for  treating  with 
France  to  that  country,  and  was  thus  deprived  of 
the  opportunity  which,  under  other  circumstances, 
might  have  led  to  other  and  higher  honours. 

On  the  sixteenth  of  July,  1800,  Lieutenant  Stewart 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  United  States’ 
schooner  Experiment,  of  twelve  guns,  in  which  he 
sailed  on  a cruise  to  the  West  Indies.  Having 
arrived  on  the  station  assigned  him,  on  the  night  of 
September  the  1st,  he  fell  in  with  the  French  armed 
schooner  Deux  Amis,  of  eight  guns,  and  brought  her 
to  action,  v«hich  terminated  in  ten  minutes;  the 
3C  33 


386  EXPERIMENT  AND  DIANA. 

Deux  Amis  having  struck  her  colours,  she  was  sent 
to  the  United  States  for  condemnation.  Cruising 
under  the  lee  of  Barbuda,  at  daylight  on  the  thirtieth 
of  September,  two  sails  were  discovered,  bearing 
down  on  the  Experiment,  with  all  sail  set,  and  Eng- 
lish colours  hoisted.  The  Experiment  continued 
lying  to,  with  the  British  signal  of  the  day  flying, 
until  they  approached  within  gun-shot,  when,  finding 
one  to  be  a brig  of  war  of  eighteen  guns,  and  the 
other  a three-masted  schooner  of  fourteen  guns,  and 
that  they  would  not  answer  the  signal.  Lieutenant 
Stewart  determined  to  retreat  from  such  superior 
force,  and  avail  himself  of  any  opportunity  that  might 
offer  for  cutting  otf  one  of  those  vessels.  It  was  soon 
discovered  that  the  Experiment  could  outsail  them, 
and  after  a fruitless  chase  of  two  hours,  on  the  wind, 
they  gave  up  the  pursuit,  hoisted  French  colours, 
fired  a gun  of  defiance  to  windward,  and  kept  their 
vessels  off  before  the  wind.  He,  being  now  satisfied 
of  their  character  and  force,  manoeuvred  to  gain  their 
wake  to  windward,  and  thus  became  the  pursuing 
vessel  in  his  turn.  Sail  was  crowded  on  the  Experi- 
ment, and  at  about  eight  o’clock  at  night  she  came 
up  with  the  three-masted  schooner,  and  taking  a 
position  on  her  larboard  quarter,  poured  in  a broad- 
side; in  a few  minutes  the  enemy  struck  her  colours, 
and  surrendered  to  the  Experiment.  She  proved  to 
be  the  French  national  schooner  Diana,  commanded 
by  Captain  Perandeau;  having  on  board  Lieutenant 
de  Vai^seau,  with  a detachment  of  thirty  invalid  sol- 
diers, and  a crew  of  sixty-five  men,  also  General 
Rigaud,  on  his  way  to  France,  under  the  convoy  of 
the  brig  if  war,  which  made  her  escape,  and  got  into 


ANOTHER  ACTION. 


387 


Saint  Bartholomew.  The  prize  was  despatched  to 
the  United  States,  under  command  of  Lieutenant 
James  R.  Caldwell,  and  was  restored  to  the  French 
under  an  article  of  the  treaty;  hut  the  captors  were 
never  compensated  by  the  government  for  this  vessel, 
as  others  were  in  many  cases. 

After  disposing  of  the  prisoners  at  St.  Christopher, 
Lieutenant  Stewart  continued  on  his  cruising  ground, 
and  recaptured  a number  of  American  vessels  which 
had  been  taken  by  the  French,  and  thus  rescued  a 
considerable  amount  of  property  from  the  grasp  of 
their  privateers.  On  the  sixteenth  of  November,  at 
midnight,  he  fell  in  with  an  armed  vessel,  and  after 
repeatedly  hailing  and  requesting  her  to  heave  to, 
that  a boat  might  board  her,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  her  character,  and  receiving  no  answer 
or  other  satisfaction,  he  determined  to  bring  her  to 
action.  The  vessel  kept  up  a running  fight  with 
great  spirit  and  determination,  for  forty  minutes, 
when  she  became  so  cut  up  and  crippled  by  the  Ex- 
periment’s fire,  that  she  was  obliged  to  strike  and 
submit  to  be  boarded.  She  proved  to  be  the  Louisa 
Bridger,  of  Bermuda,  carrying  eight  nine-pounders, 
with  a stout  crew  of  Bermudians.  She  was  so  much 
injured  that  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Experiment 
were  occupied  until  three  o’clock  next  day  in  repair- 
ing her  damages.  Having  two  shot  through  her 
bottom,  she  was  almost  in  a sinking  condition,  and 
when  Lieutenant  Porter  boarded  her,  was  found  to 
have  four  feet  water  in  the  hold.  After  putting  her 
in  the  best  repair  which  circumstances  permitted. 
Lieutenant  Stewart  dismissed  her  on  her  cruise.  The 
Experiment  had  only  one  killed  and  two  wounded 


388  RESCUE  OF  THE  SHIPWRECKED. 

slightly.  The  wind,  during  the  action,  was  strong 
and  squally,  and  the  Experiment  careened  so  much, 
that  Lieutenant  Stewart,  to  enable  his  guns  to  be 
sufficiently  depressed,  found  it  necessary  to  cut  three 
inch  planks  into  short  lengths,  and  put  them  under 
the  trucks  of  the  gun  carriages,  to  raise  the  guns 
sufficiently  from  the  lower  port  sills. 

On  the  return  of  the  Experiment  to  St.  Chris- 
topher, Commodore  Truxtun  ordered  Lieutenant 
Stewart  to  proceed  with  a convoy  from  Martinique 
to  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  and  thence  to  Curacoa, 
to  look  for  the  United  States’  brig  Pickering,  and 
frigate  Insurgent,  but  nothing  could  be  heard  of  those 
vessels  at  that  place ; they  had  both  foundered  in  the 
equinoxial  gale,  with  a store  ship  under  their  care, 
and  all  hands  perished.  On  leaving  Curacoa  the 
Experiment  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Norfolk. 

Standing  in  for  the  Mona  passage,  early  in  the 
morning,  a vessel  was  discovered  in  distress,  and 
heating  on  the  reef  off  Saona  Island.  On  nearing 
her,  many  persons  were  discovered  to  be  on  board. 
After  anchoring  the  Experiment  at  a safe  distance 
from  the  reef.  Lieutenant  Stewart  despatched  Lieu- 
tenant Porter  with  the  boats  to  their  relief,  who, 
with  much  difficulty  and  danger  from  the  breakers 
on  the  reef,  succeeded  in  rescuing  from  destruction 
about  sixty  women  and  children,  with  seven  men  of 
the  vessel’s  crew.  They  were  the  families  of  the 
most  respectable  inhabitants  of  St.  Domingo,  flying 
from  the  siege  of  that  city  by  the  blacks.  They  had 
been  on  the  rocks  for  two  days,  without  any  thing  to 
eat  or  drink;  and  at  the  time  of  their  rescue  only  a 
small  portion  of  the  quarter  deck  was  above  water 


IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  389 

After  the  sailors  had  recovered  as  much  of  the  pro- 
perty as  they  could,  by  diving  into  the  vessel’s  hold, 
the  Experiment  proceeded  to  the  city  of  St.  Domingo 
with  the  rescued  persons,  where  they  were  all  landed 
the  next  day,  and  restored  to  their  friends.  Their 
gratitude  was  unbounded,  and  the  Experiment  was 
most  liberally  furnished,  gratis,  with  every  refresh- 
ment the  place  afforded.  The  President  of  St.  Do- 
mingo, Don  Joaquin  Garcia,  wrote  a letter  of  thanks 
to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  (Mr.  Jefferson,) 
commending  in  the  highest  terms  the  conduct  of  Lieu- 
tenant Stewart  and  his  gallant  crew  on  this  occasion. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Experiment,  in  1801,  at 
Norfolk,  she  was  sold  out  of  the  service,  under  the 
act  of  congress  fixing  the  naval  establishment.  Lieu- 
tenant Stewart  was  amongst  the  thirty-six  lieute- 
nants retained  under  that  law,  and  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  frigate  Chesapeake,  in  ordinary,  at 
N orfolk. 

In  1802,  he  joined  the  United  States’  frigate  Con- 
stellation, as  first  officer  of  Captain  Murray,  who  was 
ordered  to  the  Mediterranean  to  blockade  Tripoli, 
then  at  war  with  the  United  States.  This  was  a 
short  cruise  of  one  year,  and  afforded  no  opportunity 
for  distinction.  On  her  return.  Lieutenant  Stewart 
was  placed  in  comm.and  of  the  brig  Siren,  then  being 
built  at  Philadelphia,  and  received  orders  to  superin- 
tend her  equipment,  which  was  effected  in  seven  days 
after  she  was  launched ; when  she  sailed  for  the 
Mediterranean  to  join  the  command  of  Commodore 
Preble.  She  was  engaged  in  giving  protection  to 
our  commerce  by  convoy,  and  conveying  the  consular 
presents  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers, 

33* 


S90  ARRIVAL  OF  COMMODORE  PREBLE. 

Syracuse,  in  the  island  of  Sicily,  was  the  rendez- 
vous of  the  squadron.  From  that  place  the  Siren 
was  engaged  in  the  expedition  sent  under  Lieutenant 
Stewart  to  destroy  the  frigate  Philadelphia,  which 
had  grounded  off  the  harbour  of  Tripoli,  and  was 
surrendered  to  the  Bashaw.  Lieutenant  Decatur 
was  sent  in  the  Intrepid,  ketch,  with  seventy  volun- 
teers, to  board  and  burn  the  frigate,  which  he  accom- 
plished in  the  most  gallant  manner ; and  with  the  aid 
of  the  Siren’s  boats,  under  Lieutenant  Caldwell, 
effected  his  retreat  out  of  the  harbour.  After  this 
successful  expedition,  the  Siren,  Lieutenant  Stewart, 
with  the  Vixen,  Enterprise,  and  Nautilus,  all  under 
his  command,  were  employed  in  a rigid  blockade  of 
the  city  of  Tripoli  and  adjacent  harbours.  During 
this  blockade  Lieutenant  Stewart  frequently  led  in 
the  vessels  of  the  blockade  to  the  attack  of  the  batte- 
ries and  flotilla,  to  accustom  the  officers  and  men  to 
the  enemy’s  fire,  and  to  force  the  Tripolitans  to 
expend  their  ammunition ; and  on  one  occasion,  they 
attacked  and  destroyed  two  batteries  which  the 
enemy  had  erected  to  the  westward  of  the  city,  for 
the  protection  of  their  coasting  trade. 

On  the  21st  of  July,  18Q4,  Commodore  Preble 
arrived  off  Tripoli  with  the  frigate  Constitution,  44, 
brig  Argus,  18,  brig  Siren,  18,  Scourge,  schooner 
Vixen,  16,  Enterprise,  14,  two  mortar  vessels,  and 
six  gunboats;  with  these,  in  conjunction  with  the. 
force  above  mentioned,  he  determined  to  attack  the 
town,  flotilla,  and  batteries  of  Tripoli.  On  the  3d 
of  August,  the  wind  proving  favourable,  at  meridian 
the  signal  was  made  to  prepare  for  battle,  when  the 
whole  force,  forming  a line  a-head,  led  on  by  the 


IN  COMMAND  OF  THE  ESSEX.  391 

Siren,  Lieutenant  Stewart,  advanced  to  the  attack, 
and  when  within  reach  of  the  enemy’s  fire,  the  gun- 
boats were  cast  otF,  and  immediately  boarded  the 
gunboats  of  Tripoli,  twenty  of  which  were  moored 
in  a line,  outside  of  the  reef  which  formed  the  har- 
bour. Three  of  them  were  carried,  and  brought  off 
under  cover  of  the  vessels  of  war,  and  added  to  the 
American  squadron.  Lieutenant  Stewart  for  his 
gallant  conduct  on  this  occasion  received  the  thanks 
of  Commodore  Preble. 

For  his  distinguished  services  throughout  the 
blockade  he  was  promoted  to  be  master  commandant, 
and  placed  in  command  of  the  frigate  Essex,  which 
vessel,  after  the  conclusion  of  peace  with  Tripoli, 
proceeded  with  the  rest  of  the  squadron,  commanded 
by  Commodore  Rodgers,  to  Tunis  Bay,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  checking  in  that  regency  a rising  disposition 
to  commence  hostilities  on  the  dag  and  commerce  of 
the  United  States.  The  hostile  attitude  of  the 
squadron,  while  there,  induced  Mr.  George  Davis, 
consul  of  the  United  States,  to  leave  the  city,  and 
seek  refuge  on  board  the  fleet.  The  state  of  our 
affairs  now  drawing  to  a crisis  so  serious,  it  appeared 
to  the  consul  general.  Colonel  Lear,  that  the  flag 
officer  ought  to  strengthen  his  acts  with  the  advice 
and  consent  of  his  principal  officers ; in  consequence 
of  which,  the  commander-in-chief  called  a council, 
consisting  of  Captains  Campbell,  Decatur,  Stewart, 
Hull,  Smith,  Dent,  and  Robinson,  to  whom  the  situa- 
tion of  our  affairs  with  the  regency  was  explained, 
and  the  opinion  of  the  officers  demanded  whether 
hostilities  ought  not  immediately  to  commence.  It 
was  at  this  council  that  the  opinion  of  Captain 


392 


OPINION  OF  JEFFERSON. 


Stewart  carried  with  it  the  assent  of  all  the  officers, 
and  preserved  the  peace  of  the  country  with  that 
regency.  It  was  on  receiving  that  opinion,  as  deli- 
vered in  the  council,  transmitted  by  the  consul  gene- 
ral and  the  consul,  Mr.  Davis,  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  that  Mr.  Jefferson  expressed  to 
his  cabinet  the  high  satisfaction  he  felt  at  having  an 
officer  in  the  squadron  who  so  thoroughly  compre 
bended  international  law,  the  constitution  of  his 
country,  and  the  policy  of  his  government.  On  the 
termination  of  this  affair  with  the  regency  of  Tunis, 
Captain  Stewart  took  command  of  the  frigate  Con- 
stellation, and  returned  to  the  United  States. 

During  part  of  the  years  1806  and  ’7,  Captain 
Stewart  was  employed  in  superintending  the  con- 
struction of  gunboats  at  New  York,  and  was  after- 
wards engaged  in  prosecuting  mercantile  enterprises 
to  the  East  Indies,  the  Mediterranean,  and  the 
Adriatic.  On  the  declaration  of  war  with  Great 
Britain,  in  1812,  he  proceeded,  in  conjunction  with 
Commodore  Bainbridge,  to  Washington,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeking  service ; but  on  presenting  themselves 
at  the  Navy  Department,  they  were  informed  that  it 
had  been  decided  by  the  cabinet  to  place  all  the 
ships  of  war  in  the  harbour  of  New  York  for  its 
defence,  and  thus  deprive  the  marine  of  all  oppor- 
tunity for  distinguished  service.  But,  on  the  22d  of 
June,  1812,  it  was  determined  by  the  President,  in 
conformity  with  the  suggestions  of  these  officers,  that 
the  ships  should  be  sent  to  sea,  and  to  sea  they  were 
forthwith  ordered.  Captain  Stewart  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  brig  Argus  and  the  Hornet 
sloop  of  war. 


ESCAPE  OF  fill:  COIVSTELLATION.  393 

In  December  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  frigate  Constellation,  then  repairing  at  Washing- 
ton. Shortly  after,  she  was  equipped,  and  ready  for 
sea,  upon  which  occasion  Captain  Stewart  gave  a 
splendid  entertainment  on  board  that  vessel,  to  all 
branches  of  government,  and  the  citizens  of  the  dis- 
trict. He  now  proceeded  to  Hampton  Roads,  prepa- 
ratory to  going  on  a cruise;  but  unfortunately,  the 
morning  after  anchoring  there,  he  discovered  the 
enemy  approaching  his  anchorage  with  a superior 
force  of  two  seventy-fours,  three  frigates,  and  several 
small  vessels  of  war;  he  lost  no  time  in  preparing  to 
retreat.  It  being  calm  with  him,  he  commenced 
hedging  his  frigate  towards  Norfolk;  the  enemy’s 
vessels  approached  rapidly  with  a fine  breeze,  which 
they  fortunately  lost  olf  Willoughby’s  point,  and 
they  were  in  consequence  of  the  ebb  tide  compelled 
to  anchor.  The  Constellation  was  hedged  up  on  the 
flats  off  Sowell’s  Point,  where  she  lay  aground  the 
rest  of  the  day ; Captain  Stewart  continued  to  press 
the  river  craft  and  lighten  his  vessel.  In  case  the 
enemy,  by  hedging  up  their  seventy-fours,  or  by 
means  of  a breeze,  had  reached  his  position,  he  was 
prepared  for  burning  the  Constellation;  the  night 
flood,  however,  made,  when  about  eight  o’clock  his 
ship  floated,  sail  was  made  on  her  with  a fine  breeze, 
boats  with  lights  and  pilots  were  sent  to  point  out 
the  shoals,  and  at  eleven  o’clock,  P.  M.,  the  Constel- 
lation was  safely  moored  between  forts  Norfolk  and 
Nelson,  where  she  afterwards  contributed  to  defend 
that  place,  and  with  her  cannon  and  her  crew 
repulsed  the  enemy’s  attack  on  Craney  Island,  and 
3D 


394  CAPTURE  OF  CYANE  AND  LEVANT. 

defeated  the  expedition  sent  to  capture  Norfolk  and 
its  dependencies. 

In  the  summer  of  1813,  Captain  Stewart  was 
ordered  to  assume  the  command  of  the  frig-ate  Con- 
stitution,  then  undergoing  repairs  at  Boston.  In 
December  following  he  proceeded  on  a cruise.  After 
exhibiting  that  ship  on  the  coasts  of  Georgia  and 
South  Carolina,  and  about  the  Bermuda  Islands,  &c. 
and  destroying  the  Picton  of  sixteen  guns,  a merchant 
ship  of  ten  guns,  the  brig  Catherine,  and  schooner 
Phoenix,  he  chased  several  British  ships  of  war,  and 
the  frigate  La  Pique,  in  the  Mona  passage,  without 
being  able  to  overtake  any  of  them,  in  consequence  of 
the  w^orn  out  state  of  the  sails  of  the  Constitution. 
Captain  Stewart  determined  to  return  to  Boston,  and 
replace  them ; in  April  the  Constitution  arrived  at 
Marblehead,  in  Massachusetts,  having  with  great 
difficulty  escaped  from  the  British  frigates,  the  Junon, 
and  La  Nymphe,  of  fifty  guns  each. 

In  December,  the  Constitution  proceeded  on  an- 
other cruise,  having  been  refitted  with  great  care,  and 
furnished  with  new  sails.  On  the  <24th,  he  capUjred 
and  destroyed,  to  the  eastward  of  the  Bermuda.-,  the 
brig  Lord  Nelson;  off  Lisbon  he  captured  the  ship 
Susan,  with  a valuable  cargo,  and  sent  her  to  New 
York;  and  on  the  20th  of  February,  1815,  after  a 
sharp  conflict  of  forty  minutes,  he  captured  the  British 
ships  of  war,  the  Cyane  of  thirty-four  guns,  and  the 
Levant  of  twenty-one  guns,  having  three  men  killed, 
and  thirteen  wounded,  the  British  ships  having  in  all 
thirty-five  killed,  and  forty-two  wounded. 

Captain  Stewart  proceeded  with  these  prizes  to 
the  Island  of  St.  Jago,  with  a view  to  divest  his  ship 


* 'S 


5^ 


i 5 -f  ' • >ri  - MH|  ' ”“  ^ *'♦:»'.<  fpr  ' aIj'' 

. ':|’f'*' •.•'•.  • w • ' '■■•■f  i'r  •■t;m  aS^ik  , . 'k-  '•»■.  '■ 


• --gf  WMbV*  -t'u 


y:  '.^  •V-!  -'  i*;V  "'V?! 

IB|QK‘9WU  ^ ’.'  t*‘  J -Afli.  A/.  vb.  -.irtfir  iu)  f 


RETURN  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES.  397 

of  the  numerous  prisoners,  consisting  of  the  officers, 
seamen,  and  marines  of  both  ships  of  the  enemy, 
amounting  to  nearly  four  hundred.  While  making 
arrangements  for  despatching  them  at  Port  Praya, 
for  Barbadoes,  the  British  squadron,  consisting  of 
the  ships  of  war  the  Acasta  of  fifty  guns,  the  New 
Castle  of  sixty-four  guns,  and  the  Leander  of  sixty- 
four  guns,  under  the  command  of  Sir  George  Collier, 
reached  his  position  under  cover  of  a thick  fog.  Not- 
withstanding their  near  approach.  Captain  Stewart 
determined  to  retreat,  and  immediately  the  Constitu- 
tion and  her  prizes  cut  their  cables  and  crowded 
sail  to  escape.  He  was  fortunate  in  being  able,  by 
his  skilful  management  and  manoeuvres,  to  save  from 
their  grasp  his  favourite  frigate  Constitution,  and  the 
Cyane;  the  Levant  was  captured  by  the  squadron 
and  sent  to  Barbadoes 

After  this  escape,  he  proceeded  with  the  Constitu- 
tion to  Maranham,  in  the  Brazils,  and  landed  the 
prisoners,  refreshed  his  crew,  refitted  his  vessel,  and 
returned  to  Boston,  where  he  and  his  officers  were 
received  with  the  usual  courtesies  by  their  fellow 
citizens. 

On  his  way  through  New  York,  the  common 
council  honoured  Captain  Stewart  with  the  freedom 
of  their  city^  in  a gold  box,  and  extended  towards 
him  and  his  officers  the  courteous  hospitalities  of 
that  city,  by  a public  dinner.  On  his  arrival  in 
Philadelphia,  the  legislature  of  his  native  State 
(Pennsylvania)  voted  him  their  thanks,  and  directed 
his  excellency  the  governor  to  cause  a gold-hilted 
sword  to  be  presented  to  Captain  Stewart,  in  testi- 
mony of  their  sense  of  his  distinguished  merits  in 

34 


398 


TKE  GOLD  MEDAL. 


I 


capturing  the  British  ships  of  war  of  superior  force, 
the  Cyane,  and  the  Levant.  On  the  meeting  of  con- 
gress, the  assembled  representatives  of  the  nation 
passed  a vote  of  thanks  to  Captain  Stewart,  his 
officers,  and  crew;  and  resolved  that  a suitable  gold 
medal,  commemorative  of  that  brilliant  event,  the 
capture  of  the  two  British  ships  of  war,  the  Cyane 
and  the  Levant,  by  the  Constitution,  should  be  pre- 
sented to  Captain  Stewart,  in  testimony  of  the  sense 
they  entertained  of  his  gallantry,  and  that  of  his 
officers,  seamen  a»d  marines,  under  his  command  on 
that  occasion. 

The  war  with  Great  Britain  having  terminated, 
the  Constitution  was  put  out  of  commission,  and  laid 
up  in  ordinary.  In  1816,  Captain  Stewart  \vas  placed 
in  command  of  the  Franklin  ship  of  the  line,  of 
seventy-four  guns,  and  in  1817,  she  was  fitted  out  at 
Philadelphia  as  the  flag  ship  of  Commodore  Stewart, 
who  was  directed  to  take  command  of  the  American 
squadron  in  the  Mediterranean  sea.  In  November, 
1817,  he  sailed  for  England,  to  convey  the  Hon. 
Richard  Rush  as  a minister  to  the  court  of  St. 
James,  who  was  landed  there  in  the  latter  part  of 
December,  after  which  the  Franklin  proceeded  to 
the  Mediterranean,  and  Commodore  Steward  took 
command  of  the  forces  of  the  United  States  in  that 
sea.  In  this  station  he  preserved  the  glory  of  his 
former  exploits,  and  the  honour  of  his  country.  He 
was  placed  in  a situation  which  calls  forth  an  energy 
and  address  that  few  men  are  fortunate  enough  to 
combine. 

In  18.20,  the  Franklin  returned  to  the  United 
States,  and  remained  in  ordinary  until  the  following 


PUBLIC  DINNER. 


399 


year,  when  she  was  again  fitted  for  service  in  the 
Pacific,  and  Commodore  Stewart  was  placed  in  com- 
mand. This  post,  owing  to  the  state  of  affairs  in  the 
South  American  provinces,  called  for  the  exercise 
of  great  discretion  and  prudence  in  giving  protection 
to  his  fellow  citizens,  their  commerce  and  their  pro- 
perty, while,  at  the  same  time,  he  had  to  guard  against 
the  representations  of  malignant  enemies.  In  these 
trying  circumstances  'the  commodore  adopted  that 
line  of  conduct  which  patriotism,  duty  and  honour 
alone  could  point  out. 

On  returning  to  the  country  he  had  so  nobly  served. 
Commodore  Stewart  was  subject  to  a degrading  ar- 
rest for  one  year,  and  to  the  costs  of  an  expensive 
court  martial.  An  acquittal,  more  honourable  than 
the  records  of  any  naval  tribunal  can  furnish,  was  the 
result  accorded  him,  under  the  oath  of  twelve  of  his 
brother  officers,  distinguished  for  their  patriotism, 
valour,  experience,  and  fidelity  to  their  country.  On 
his  return  from  Washington,  where  his  trial  took 
place,  to  Philadelphia,  his  friends  greeted  him  with  a 
public  dinner  in  approbation  of  his  services  in  the 
Pacific.  From  1825  to  1830,  he  was  variously  en- 
gaged in  appropriate  duties,  such  as  examining  mid- 
shipmen, and  sitting  on  court  martials. 

In  August,  1830,  he  was  appointed  a member  of 
the  Board  of  Navy  Commissioners  at  Washington, 
where  he  remained  until  August,  1833,  he  then  retired 
to  his  farm  in  New  Jersey.  In  July,  1836,  Commo- 
dores Stewart,  Dallas  and  Bolton  were  appointed 
commissioners  to  prepare  plans  for  the  improvement 
of  the  navy  yard  at  Pensacola. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1837,  Commodore  James 


400  LAUNCH  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA. 

Barron  resigned  the  command  of  the  navy  yard  at 
Philadelphia,  and  Commodore  Stewart  was  placed  in 
command  of  that  station.  By  the  most  strenuous 
exertions,  Commodore  Stewart  succeeded  in  launch- 
ing the  line-of-hattle  ship  Pennsylvania,  on  the  18th 
of  July.  This  ship,  the  largest  and  most  magnificent 
in  point  of  model  and  construction  now  afloat,  was 
ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  be  removed 
from  Philadelphia  to  Norfolk,  to  he  coppered,  and 
Commodore  Stewart  was  appointed  to  equip  and 
take  her  to  that  place  for  the  purpose.  Since  that 
period  he  has  been  engaged,  as  usual,  in  various  ser- 
vices, requiring  the  ability  and  experience  of  a first 
rate  commander. 

Commodore  Stewart  is  about  five  feet  nine  inches 
in  height,  erect  and  well  proportioned,  of  a dignified 
and  engaging  presence,  and  possessed  of  great  con- 
stitutional powers  to  endure  hardships  and  privations 
of  all  kinds  Although  sixty-five  years  of  age,  he  is 
still  as  active  as  if  he  were  but  in  the  prime  of  life. 
His  complexion  is  fair,  but  it  bears  the  weather- 
beaten marks  of  naval  service.  His  hair  is  of  a chest- 
nut colour;  his  eyes  blue,  large,  penetrating,  and  in- 
telligent. The  cast  of  his  countenance  is  Roman, 
bold,  strong,  and  commanding,  and  his  head  finely 
formed.  He  possesses  great  vigor  of  mind,  a high 
sense  of  justice,  and  inflexible  resolution  of  purpose. 
His  mind  is  acute  and  powerful,  grasping  the  greatest 
or  smallest  subjects  with  the  intuitive  mastery  of 
genius.  He  not  only  fully  understands  his  profession 
as  a naval  commander,  but  all  the  various  interests  of 
commerce,  the  foreign  and  domestic  policy  of  his 
country,  the  principles  of  government,  and  the  law 


CHARACTER  OF  STEWART.  401 

of  nations,”  are  as  familiar  to  him  as  “ household 
words.”  His  control  over  his  passions  is  truly  sur- 
prising; and  under  the  most  irritating  circumstances, 
his  oldest  seamen  have  never  yet  seen  a ray  of  anger 
flash  from  his  eye.  His  kindness,  benevolence  and 
humanity  are  proverbial  amongst  those  who  know 
him;  but  his  sense  of  justice  and  of  the  requisitions 
of  duty  are  as  unbending  as  fate. 


34# 


DAVID  PORTER. 


(ii  AVID  PORTER,  tne  eldest  son  of 

In' 

Captain  David  Porter,  was  born  in 
Boston,  on  the  1st  February,  1780.  His  father  was 
an  officer  in  our  navy  during  the  revolutionary  war, 
and  distinguished  himself  on  various  occasions  by  his 
activity,  enterprise  and  daring  spirit.  Being  neces- 
sarily absent  from  home  for  the  greater  part  of  his  time, 
the  charge  of  his  infant  family  devolved  almost  entirely 
on  his  wife.  She  was  a pious  and  intelligent  woman, 

402 


EARLY  LIFE. 


403 


the  friend  and  instructer  of  her  children,  teaching 
them  not  merely  by  her  precepts,  but  by  her  amiable 
and  virtuous  example.  Soon  after  the  conclusion  of 
the  war,  Captain  Porter  removed  with  his  household 
to  Baltimore,  where  he  took  command  of  the  revenue 
cutter  the  Active.  Here,  in  the  bosom  of  his  family, 
he  would  indulge  in  the  veteran’s  foible  of  recounting 
past  scenes  of  peril  and  adventure,  and  talking  over 
the  wonders  and  vicissitudes  that  chequer  a seafaring 
life.  Little  David  would  sit  for  hours  and  listen  and 
kindle  at  these  marvellous  tales;  while  his  father,  per- 
ceiving his  own  love  of  enterprise  springing  up  in  the 
bosom  of  the  lad,  took  every  means  to  cherish  it  and 
to  inspire  him  with  a passion  for  the  sea  He  at  the 
same  time  gave  him  all  the  education  and  instruction 
that  his  limited  means  afforded,  and  being  afterwards 
in  command  of  a vessel  in  the  West  India  trade, 
proposed  to  take  him  a voyage  by  way  of  initiating 
him  into  the  life  of  a sailor.  The  constitution  of  the 
latter  being  feeble  and  delicate  excited  all  the  appre- 
hensions of  a tender  mother,  who  remonstrated,  with 
maternal  solicitude,  against  exposing  the  puny  strip- 
ling to  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  so  rude  a life. 
Her  objections,  however,  were  either  obviated  or 
overruled,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  sailed  with 
his  father  for  the  West  Indies,  in  the  schooner  Eliza. 
While  at  the  port  of  Jeremie,  in  the  island  of  St. 
Domingo,  a press-gang  endeavoured  to  board  the 
vessel  in  search  of  men;  they  were  bravely  repelled, 
with  the  loss  of  several  killed  and  wounded  on  both 
sides;  one  man  was  shot  down  close  by  the  side  of 
young  Porter.  This  affair  excited  considerable  atten- 
tion at  the  time.  A narrative  appeared  in  the  public 


404 


ENTERS  THE  NAVY. 


papers,  and  much  praise  was  awarded  to  Captain 
Porter  for  the  gallant  vindication  of  his  flag. 

In  the  course  of  his  second  voyage,  which  he  per- 
formed as  mate  of  a ship,  from  Baltimore  to  St.  Do- 
mingo, young  Porter  had  a further  taste  of  the 
vicissitudes  of  a sailor’s  life.  He  was  twice  im- 
pressed by  the  British,  and  each  time  effected  his 
escape,  but  was  so  reduced  in  purse  as  to  be  obliged 
to  work  his  passage  home  in  the  winter  season, 
destitute  of  necessary  clothing.  In  this  forlorn  con 
dition,  he  had  to  perform  duty  on  a cold  and  stormy 
coast,  where  every  spray  was  converted  instantane- 
ously into  a sheet  of  ice.  It  would  appear  almost  in 
credible  that  his  feeble  frame,  little  inured  to  hardship, 
could  have  sustained  so  much,  were  it  not  known 
how  greatly  the  exertions  of  the  body  are  supported 
by  mental  excitement.  Scarcely  had  he  recovered 
from  his  late  fatigues  when  he  applied  for  admission 
into  the  navy;  and  on  receiving  a midshipman’s  war- 
rant, immediately  joined  the  frigate  Constellation, 
Commodore  Truxton.  In  the  action  with  the  French 
frigate  the  Insurgent,  Porter  was  stationed  on  the 
foretop,  and  distinguished  himself  by  his  good  con- 
duct. Want  of  friends  alone  prevented  his  promo- 
tion at  the  time.  When  Commodore  Barron  was 
appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Constellation, 
Porter  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  solely 
on  account  of  his  merit,  having  no  friends  or  con- 
nexions capable  of  urging  his  fortunes.  He  was  or- 
dered to  join  the  United  States’  schooner  Experi- 
ment under  Captain  Maley,  to  be  employed  on  the 
West  India  station.  During  the  cruise  they  had  a 
long  and  obstinate  engagement  with  a number  of 


CAPTURES  A PRIVATEER.  405 

brigand  barges  in  the  Bite  of  Leogan,  which  afforded 
him  another  opportunity  of  bringing  himself  into 
notice.  He  was  also  frequently  employed  in  boat 
expeditions  to  cut  out  vessels,  in  which  he  displayed 
much  coolness  and  address.  Commodore  Talbot, 
who  commanded  on  that  station,  gave  him  charge  of 
the  Amphitrite,  a small  pilot  boat  prize  schooner, 
mounting  five  small  swivels  taken  from  the  tops  of 
the  Constellation,  and  manned  with  fifteen  hands. 
Not  long  after  taking  this  command  he  fell  in  with  a 
French  privateer,  mounting  a long  twelve  pounder 
and  several  swivels,  having  a crew  of  forty  men,  and 
accompanied  with  a prize  ship  and  a large  barge,  with 
thirty  men  armed  with  swivels.  Notwithstanding 
the  great  disparity  of  force,  Porter  ordered  his  vessel 
to  be  laid  alongside  the  privateer.  The  contest  was 
arduous,  and  for  some  time  doubtful,  for  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action  he  lost  his  rudder,  which 
rendered  the  schooner  unmanageable.  The  event, 
however,  excused  the  desperateness  of  the  attack,  for 
after  an  obstinate  and  bloody  resistance,  the  priva- 
teer surrendered  with  the  loss  of  seven  killed  and 
fifteen  wounded.  Not  a man  of  Porter’s  crew  was 
killed;  several,  however,  were  wounded,  and  his  ves- 
sel was  much  injured.  The  prize  was  also  taken, 
but  the  barge  escaped.  The  conduct  of  Lieutenant 
Porter  in  this  gallant  little  affair  was  highly  applauded 
by  his  commander. 

Shortly  after  his  return  to  the  United  States  he 
sailed  as  first  lieutenant  in  the  Experiment,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Charles  Stewart.  They  were 
again  stationed  in  the  West  Indies,  and  afforded 
great  protection  to  the  American  commerce  in  that 


406  ON  THE  MEDITERRANEAN  STATION. 

quarter.  They  had  several  engagements  with  French 
privateers,  and  were  always  successful,  insomuch 
that  they  became  the  terror  of  those  marauders  of 
the  ocean,  and  effectually  controlled  their  rapacity 
and  kept  them  quiet  in  port.  The  gallant  and  la- 
mented Trippe  was  second  lieutenant  of  the  Experi- 
ment at  the  time. 

When  the  first  squadron  was  ordered  for  the 
Mediterranean,  Porter  sailed  as  first  lieutenant  of 
the  schooner  Enterprise,  Captain  Stewart.  In  this 
cruise  they  encountered  a Tripolitan  corsair,  of  very 
superior  force;  a severe  battle  ensued,  in  which  the 
enemy  suffered  great  slaughter,  and  was  compelled 
to  surrender,  while  our  ship  received  but  liliie  injury. 

In  this  brilliant  action  Porter  acquired  much  re- 
putation from  the  conspicuous  part  he  acted.  He 
afterwards  served  on  board  of  different  ships  in  the 
Mediterranean  station,  and  distinguished  himself  by 
his  intrepidity  and  zeal  whenever  an  opportunity 
presented.  On  one  occasion  he  commanded  an  ex- 
pedition of  boats  sent  to  destroy  some  vessels  laden 
with  wheat,  at  anchor  in  the  harbour  of  old  Tripoli; 
the  service  was  promptly  and  effectually  performed ; 
in  the  engagement  he  received  a musket  ball  through 
his  left  thigh. 

Shortly  after  recovering  from  his  wound  he  was 
transposed  from  the  New  York  to  the  Philadelphia, 
Captain  Bainbridge,  as  first  lieutenant.  The  frigate 
was  then  lying  at  Gibraltar,  when  he  joined  her  in 
September,  1803.  She  soon  after  sailed  for  the 
blockade  of  Tripoli.  No  event  took  place  worthy 
of  mention  until  the  31st  of  October.  Nearly  a 
week  previous  to  this  ill-fated  day,  the  weather  had 


CAPTIVITY. 


407 


been  tempestuous,  which  rendered  it  prudent  to  keep 
the  ship  off  the  land. 

The  31st  opened  with  all  the  splendour  of  a Sici- 
lian morning : the  promise  of  a more  delightful  day 
never  appeared.  The  land  was  just  observed,  when 
a sail  was  descried  making  for  the  harbour,  with  a 
pleasant  easterly  breeze.  It  was  soon  ascertained  to 
be  an  armed  ship  of  the  enemy,  and  all  sail  was  set 
in  chase.  After  an  ineffectual  pursuit  of  several 
leagues.  Captain  Bainbridge  had  just  given  orders  to 
haul  off,  when  the  frigate  grounded.  Every  expe- 
dient that  skill  or  courage  could  devise  to  float  or 
defend  her,  was  successively  resorted  to,  but  in  vain. 
The  particulars  of  this  unfortunate  affair  are  too 
generally  known  to  need  a minute  recital ; it  is  suf- 
ficient to  add  that  this  noble  ship  and  her  gallant 
crew  were  surrendered  to  a barbarous  and  dastardly 
enemy,  whose  only  motive  in  warfare  is  the  hope  of 
plunder.  Throughout  the  long  and  dreary  confine- 
ment which  ensued,  in  the  dungeons  of  Tripoli, 
Porter  never  suffered  himself  for  a moment  to  sink 
into  despondency ; but  supported  the  galling  indigni 
ties  and  hardships  of  his  situation  with  equanimity 
and  even  cheerfulness.  A seasonable  supply  of  books 
served  to  beguile  the  hours  of  imprisonment,  and 
enabled  him  even  to  turn  them  to  advantage.  He 
closely  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  ancient  and 
modern  history,  biography,  the  French  language,  and 
drawing;  in  which  art,  so  useful  to  a seaman,  he 
made  himself  a considerable  proficient.  He  also 
sedulously  cultivated  the  theory  of  his  profession, 
and  improved  the  junior  officers  by  his  frequent 
instructions;  representing  the  manoeuvres  of  fleets  in 


408 


CAPTIVITY. 


battle  by  means  of  small  boards  ingeniously  arranged. 
He  was  active  in  promoting  any  plan  of  labour  or 
amusement  that  could  ameliorate  the  situation  or 
dispel  the  gloomy  reflections  of  his  companions.  By 
these  means  captivity  was  robbed  of  its  heaviest 
evils,  that  dull  monotony  that  wearies  the  spirits,  and 
that  mental  inactivity  that  engenders  melancholy  and 
hypochondria.  An  incident  which  occurred  during 
his  confinement  deserves  to  be  mentioned,  as  being 
highly  creditable  to  Lieutenant  Porter.  Under  the 
rooms  occupied  by  the  officers  was  a long  dark 
passage,  through  which  the  American  sailors,  who 
were  employed  in  public  labour,  frequently  passed  to 
different  parts  of  the  castle.  Their  conversation 
being  repeatedly  heard  as  they  passed  to  and  fro, 
some  one  made  a small  hole  in  the  wall  to  communi- 
cate with  them.  For  some  days  a constant  inter- 
course was  kept  up,  by  sending  down  notes  tied  to  a 
string.  Some  persons,  however,  indiscreetly  enter- 
ing into  conversation  with  the  seamen,  were  over- 
heard, and  information  immediately  carried  to  the 
Bashaw.  In  a few  minutes  the  bolts  of  the  prison 
door  were  heard  to  fly  back  with  unwonted  violence, 
and  Sassi  (chief  officer  of  the  castle)  rushed  furiousl} 
in.  His  features  were  distorted,  and  his  voice  almost 
inarticulate  with  passion.  He  demanded  in  a vehe- 
ment tone  by  whom  or  whose  authority  the  walls 
had  been  opened;  when  Porter  advanced  with  a firm 
step  and  composed  countenance,  and  replied,  ‘‘  I 
alone  am  responsible.”  He  was  abruptly  and  rudely 
hurried  from  the  prison,  and  the  gate  was  again 
closed.  His  generous  self-devotion,  while  it  com- 
manded the  admiration  of  his  companions,  heightened 


LIBERATION. 


4oy 

their  anxiety  for  his  fate;  apprehending  some  act  of 
violence  from  the  impetuous  temper  and  absolute 
power  of  the  Bashaw.  Their  fears,  however,  were 
appeased  by  the  return  of  Porter,  after  considerable 
detention ; having  been  dismissed  without  any  further 
severity,  through  the  intercession  of  the  minister 
Mahomet  Dghies,  who  had  on  previous  occasions 
shown  a friendly  disposition  towards  the  prisoners. 

It  is  unnecessary  here  to  dwell  on  the  various  in- 
cidents that  occurred  in  this  tedious  captivity,  and 
of  the  many  ingenious  and  adventurous  plans  of 
escape,  devised  and  attempted  by  our  officers,  in  all 
which  Porter  took  an  active  and  prominent  part. 
When  peace  was  at  length  made,  and  they  were 
restored  to  light  and  liberty,  he  embarked  with  his 
companions  for  Syracuse,  where  a court  of  inquiry 
was  held  on  the  loss  of  the  Philadelphia.  After  an 
honourable  acquittal  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  United  States’  brig  Enterprise,  and  soon 
after  was  ordered  by  Commodore  Rodgers  to  proceed 
to  Tripoli,  with  permission  to  cruise  along  the  shore 
of  Bengazi,  and  to  visit  the  ruins  of  Septis  Magna, 
anciently  a Roman  colony.  He  was  accompanied  in 
this  expedition  by  some  of  his  friends,  and  after  a 
short  and  pleasant  passage,  anchored  near  the  latter 
place.  They  passed  three  days  in  wandering  among 
the  mouldering  remains  of  Roman  taste  and  grandeur; 
and  excavated  in  such  places  as  seemed  to  promise  a 
reward  for  their  researches.  A number  of  ancient 
coins  and  cameos  were  found,  and,  among  other 
curiosities,  were  two  statues  in  tolerable  preserva- 
tion ; the  one  a warrior,  the  other  a female  figure,  of 
beautiful  white  marble  and  excellent  workmanship. 

3F  35 


410 


INTREPIDITY. 


Verde  antique  pillars,  of  large  size,  formed  of  a single 
piece,  and  unbroken,  were  scattered  along  the  shores. 
Near  the  harbour  stood  a lofty  and  elegant  building, 
of  which  Lieutenant  Porter  took  a drawing.  The 
awning  under  ^hich  the  party  dined  was  spread  on 
the  site,  nnd  among  the  fallen  columns  of  a temple 
of  Jupiter;  and  a zest  was  given  to  the  repast,  by 
the  classical  ideas  awakened  by  surrounding  objects. 

While  Porter  was  in  command  of  the  Enterprise, 
and  at  anchor  in  the  port  of  Malta,  an  English  sailor 
came  alongside  and  insulted  the  officers  and  crew 
by  abusive  language.  Captain  Porter  overhearing 
the  scurrilous  epithets  he  vociferated,  ordered  a 
boatswain’s  mate  to  seize  him  and  give  him  a flogging 
at  the  gangway.  This  well-merited  chastisement  ex- 
cited the  indignation  of  the  governor  of  Malta,  who 
considered  it  a daring  outrage,  and  gave  orders  that 
the  forts  should  not  permit  the  Enterprise  to  depart. 
No  sooner  was  Captain  Porter  informed  of  it,  than 
he  got  his  vessel  ready  for  action,  weighed  anchor, 
and  with  lighted  matches  and  every  man  at  his  sta 
tion,  with  the  avowed  determination  of  firing  the 
town  if  attacked,  sailed  between  the  batteries  and 
departed  unmolested. 

Shortly  after  this  occurrence,  in  passing  through 
the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  he  was  attacked  by  twelve 
Spanish  gunboats,  who  either  mistook  or  pretended 
to  mistake  his  vessel  for  a British  brig.  As  soon, 
however,  as  he  was  able  to  near  them,  they  were  as- 
sailed with  such  rapid  and  well  directed  volleys  as 
quickly  compelled  them  to  shear  off.  This  affair 
took  place  in  sight  of  Gibraltar,  and  in  presence  of 
several  ships  of  the  British  navy;  it  was,  therefore,  a 


COMMANDS  THE  ESSEX.  411 

matter  of  notoriety,  and  spoken  of  in  terms  of  the 
highest  applause. 

After  an  absence  of  five  years,  passed  in  unremitted 
and  arduous  service.  Captain  Porter  returned  to  the 
United  States,  and  shortly  after  w^as  married  to  Miss 
Anderson,  daughter  of  the  member  of  congress  from 
Pennsylvania.  Being  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  flotilla,  on  the  New  Orleans  station,  he  dis- 
charged, with  faithfulness  and  activity,  the  irksome 
duty  of  enforcing  the  embargo  and  non-intercourse 
laws.  He  likewise  performed  an  important  service 
to  his  country,  by  ferreting  out  and  capturing  a 
pirate,  a native  of  France,  who,  in  a small  well-armed 
schooner,  had  for  some  time  infested' the  Chesapeake ; 
and  who,  growing  bolder  by  impunity,  had  committed 
many  acts  of  depredation,  until  his  maraudings  be- 
came so  serious  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  go- 
vernment. 

While  commanding  on  the  Orleans  station,  the 
father  of  Captain  Porter  died,  an  officer  under  his 
command.  He  had  lived  to  see  his  wish  fulfilled, 
in  beholding  his  son  a skilful  and  enterprising  sailor, 
rising  rapidly  in  his  profession,  and  in  the  estimation 
of  his  country. 

The  climate  of  New  Orleans  disagreeing  with  the 
health  of  Captain  Porter  and  his  family,  he  solicited 
to  be  ordered  to  some  other  station,  and  was,  accord- 
ingly, appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Essex  frigate. 

At  the  time  of  the  declaration  of  war  against  Eng- 
land, the  Essex  was  undergoing  repairs  at  New 
York,  and  the  celerity  with  which  she  was  fitted  for 
sea  reflected  great  credit  on  her  commander.  On 
the  3d  of  July,  1812,  he  sailed  from  Sandy  Hook  on 


412  CAPTURES  THE  ALERT,  &c. 

a cruise,  which  was  not  marked  by  any  incident  of 
consequence,  excepting  the  capture  of  the  British 
sloop  of  war  Alert,  Captain  Langhorne.  Either 
undervaluing  the  untried  prowess  of  our  tars,  or 
mistaking  the  force  of  the  Essex,  she  ran  down  on 
her  weather  quarter,  gave  three  cheers,  and  com- 
menced an  action.  In  a few  minutes  she  struck  her 
colours,  being  cut  to  pieces,  with  three  men  wounded, 
and  seven  feet  water  in  her  hold.  To  relieve  himself 
from  the  great  number  of  prisoners,  taken  in  this  and 
former  prizes.  Captain  Porter  made  a cartel  of  the 
Alert,  with  orders  to  proceed  to  St.  Johns,  New^ 
foundland,  and  thence  to  New  York.  She  arrived 
safe,  being  the  first  ship  of  war  taken  from  the 
enemy,  and  her  flag  the  first  British  flag  sent  to  the 
seat  of  government  during  the  war  of  1812.* 

Captain  Porter,  after  the  refitting  of  his  ship,  sailed 
from  the  Delaware  on  the  27th  of  October,  1812.  He 
shaped  his  course  for  the  coast  of  Brazil,  where, 
according  to  arrangements  with  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge,  several  places  were  appointed  for  rendezvous. 
During  his  cruise  in  that  quarter  he  captured  his 
Britannic  majesty’s  packet  ship  Nocton,  from  which 
he  took  about  11,000  pounds  sterling  in  specie,  and 
then  despatched  her  for  America.  Upon  hearing  of 
the  capture  of  the  Java  by  Commodore  Bainbridge, 
he  was  obliged  to  return  to  port,  where  he  heard  that 
the  Hornet  had  been  captured  by  the  Montague,  that 
the  British  force  on  the  coast  had  been  increased,  and 
that  several  ships  were  in  pursuit  of  him.  Knowing 
that  he  occupied  a hazardous  place,  he  detei mined 


* Analectic  Magazine. 


CAPTURE  OF  A CORSAIR.  413 

to  abandon  it,  and  accordingly  he  shaped  his  course 
southward,  rounded  Cape  Horn,  off  which  place  he 
suffered  greatly  from  the  severity  of  the  gales,  and 
proceeded  into  the  Pacific  Ocean.  From  the  want 
of  provision  it  became  necessary  to  put  into  some 
port.  Accordingly  he  ran  into  Valparaiso,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  14th  of  March,  1813. 

Having  obtained  a sufficient  quantity  of  provision, 
he  coasted  the  shores  of  Chili  and  Peru  and  met 
witli  a Peruvian  corsair,  that  had  captured  two 
whaling  ships  on  the  coast  of  Chili  and  had  on  board 
the  crews  of  the  two  ships,  as  prisoners,  consisting 
of  twenty-four  Americans.  The  commander  of  the 
corsair  attempted  to  justify  his  conduct  by  alleging 
himself  to  be  an  ally  of  Great  Britain  and  expecting 
a war  between  Spain  and  the  United  States.  Captain 
Porter,  finding  that  he  determined  to  persist  in  his 
aggressions,  lightened  him  of  his  armament  by  throw- 
ing it  into  the  sea,  released  the  prisoners,  and  then 
directed  a polite  letter  to  the  viceroy,  in  which  he 
gave  his  reasons  for  so  doing,  which  he  delivered  to 
the  captain.  Upon  proceeding  to  the  port  of  Lima 
he  recaptured  one  of  the  American  vessels  as  she 
was  entering  the  port. 

He  cruised  for  several  months  in  the  Pacific, 
making  great  havoc  among  the  English  traders,  and 
was  particularly  destructive  to  those  engaged  in  the 
spermaceti  whale  fishery.  He  took  many  with 
valuable  cargoes ; one  of  the  captured  vessels  he 
retained  as  a store  ship;  he  equipped  her  with  twenty 
guns  and  called  her  the  Essex  Junior,  appointing 
Lieutenant  Downes  as  commander,  while  some  of 
the  others  were  given  up  to  the  prisoners,  some  sent 

35* 


414 


OPERATIOISS  IN  THE  PACIFIC. 


to  Valparaiso  and  laid  up,  and  three  sent  to  America. 
Captain  Porter,  now  having  a little  squadron  undei 
his  command,  became  the  terror  of  those  seas.  He 
gained  from  his  prizes  a sufficient  supply  of  provi- 
sions, medicines,  naval  stores,  clothing,  and  money; 
so  that  he  was  able  to  pay  his  officers  and  men  with 
out  drawing  on  the  government,  and  was  able  tc 
remain  at  sea  without  sickness  or  inconvenience. 

From  the  extent  of  his  depredations  he  spread 
alarm  and  anxiety  throughout  all  the  ports  of  the 
Pacific,  and  created  great  disturbance  in  those  of 
Great  Britain.  The  merchants  trembled  with  appre- 
hension for  the  fate  of  their  property,  which  was 
afloat  on  those  waters,  while  the  nation’s  pride  was 
humbled,  when  it  beheld  a single  frigate  bearing  the 
sceptre  over  the  whole  waters  of  the  Pacific;  in 
defiance  to  their  numerous  fleets,  destroying  their 
commerce  and  excluding  their  merchants  from  all 
western  ports,  and  almost  banishing  the  British  flag 
from  those  climes  where  it  had  so  long  spread  its 
folds  to  the  breeze  in  proud  predominance.  The 
manner  in  which  Captain  Porter  conducted  his  cruise 
baffled  pursuit.  Those  who  were  sent  in  search  of 
him  were  distracted  by  vague  accounts,  and  were 
entirely  unable  to  discover  any  traces  by  which  they 
might  be  able  to  encounter  him.  Keeping  in  the 
open  sea  and  touching  only  at  those  desolate  islands 
which  form  the  Gallipagos  he  left  no  traces  by  which 
he  might  be  followed  or  discovered.  Although  he 
was  deprived  of  all  intelligence  from  land,  and  unable 
to  gain  any  knowledge  of  home  affairs,  he  often 
received  a correct  account  of  his  enemies  from  the 
various  prizes  which  he  had  captured.  Lieutenant 


‘ AT  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS.  415 

Downes  having  returned  from  conveying  the  prizes 
to  Valparaiso,  brought  word  of  the  expected  arrival 
of  Commodore  Hillyar  in  the  Phoebe  frigate,  rating 
thirty-six  guns,  accompanied  by  two  sloops  of  war. 
Loaded  with  spoil,  and  sated  with  the  easy  and 
inglorious  capture  of  merchantmen.  Captain  Porter 
desired  to  signalize  his  cruise  by  some  brilliant  vie 
tory,  meeting  the  enemy  on  equal  terms. 

From  having  remained  at  sea  for  such  a length  ot 
time  some  of  the  timbers  were  impaired  and  needed 
renewal,  while  the  frigate  required  some  other  repairs 
to  enable  her  to  face  the  foe.  For  this  purpose  he 
repaired  to  the  island  of  Nooaheevah,  one  of  the 
Washington  group,  discovered  by  Captain  Ingraham 
of  Boston,  accompanied  by  several  of  his  prizes.  The 
inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  the  harbour  received 
Captain  Porter  with  marks  of  friendship;  and  they 
supplied* him  with  abundance  of  provision,  with  which 
the  island  abounded.  Having  calked  and  completely 
overhauled  the  ship,  made  her  a new  set  of  water  casks, 
and  taken  on  board  a sufficient  supply  of  provision 
for  four  months,  from  the  prizes,  which  he  secured 
under  the  guns  of  a battery  erected  for  their  protec- 
tion, he  sailed  for  the  coast  of  Chili  on  the  12th  of 
December,  1813,  leaving  Lieutenant  Gamble  of  the 
marines,  with  twenty-one  men,  in  command  of  the 
battery,  with  orders  to  proceed  to  Valparaiso  after  a 
certain  time. 

Having  cruised  off  the  coast  of  Chili  with  the 
expectation  of  meeting  with  Captain  Hillyar,  without 
success,  he  proceeded  to  the  port  of  Valparaiso,  with 
the  hope  of  falling  in  with  him  there;  and,  if  disap- 
pointed in  this  wish,  he  might  be  able  to  capture 


416  ARRIVAL  OF  THE  PHOEBE  AND  CHERUB. 

some  merchant  ships  which  were  expected  from 
England.  While  lying  in  this  port  Captain  Hillyar 
arrived,  having  long  sought  for  the  Essex,  but  with- 
out success,  and  having  almost  given  up  all  hopes  of 
ever  meeting  with  her.  He  was  accompanied  by  the 
sloop  of  war  Cherub,  which  was  strongly  armed  and 
manned.  Contrary  to  Captain  Porter’s  expectation, 
the  Phoebe  herself  was  far  superior  to  the  Essex. 
The  united  force  of  the  Phoebe  and  Cherub  ajnounted 
to  eighty-one  guns  and  500  men.  While  the  force  of 
the  Essex  consisted  of  but  forty-six  guns,  all  of 
which,  excepting  six  long  twelves,  were  thirty-two 
pound  carronades,  only  serviceable  in  close  fighting. 
Her  crew  having  been  much  reduced  by  the  manning 
of  prizes,  amounted  to  but  255  men.  The  Essex 
Junior,  being  only  intended  as  a store  ship,  carried 
but  ten  eighteen  pound  carronades  and  ten  short 
sixes,  with  a complement  of  only  60  men.  The 
Phoebe  and  Cherub,  having  been  sent  out  expressly 
to  search  for  and  capture  the  Essex,  were  in  prime 
order  and  good  discipline,  with  picked  crews,  and 
hoisted  flags  bearing  the  motto,  “ God  and  our  country, 
British  sailors’  best  rights  : traitors  offend  both” 
This  was  in  opposition  to  the  American  motto  of 
“ Free  trade  and  sailors’  rights,”  and  the  latter  part 
of  it  being  suggested  by  erroi  tenderly  cherished, 
that  our  crews  were  composed  of  British  seamen.  Ir 
reply  to  this  motto  Captain  Porter  hoisted  at  his 
mizen : ‘‘  God,  our  country,  and  liberty : tyrants 
offend  them.”  On  entering  the  port  the  Phoebe  was 
brought  into  the  power  of  Captain  Porter,  who,  on 
account  of  the  neutrality  of  the  place,  did  not  wish  to 
take  advantage  of  the  exposed  situation  of  his  enemy. 

) - 


LEAVES  THE  PORT. 


417 


This  forbearance  was  acknowledged  by  Commodore 
Hillyar,  and  he  gave  his  word  of  honour  to  observe 
like  conduct  while  in  port,  which  he  accordingly 
followed  for  a time. 

On  receiving  a sufficient  supply  of  provision  on 
board,  the  Phoebe  and  Cherub  went  off  the  port, 
where  they  cruised  for  six  weeks,  keeping  up  a con- 
tinual blockade  of  Captain  Porter;  who  from  the  in- 
feriority of  his  number  was  unwilling  to  risk  an  action. 
After  repeated  endeavours,  finding  himself  unable 
to  bring  the  Phoebe  into  single  action  or  into  equal 
combat,  or  to  provoke  a challenge  from  Commodore 
Hillyar,  he  determined  to  put  to  sea.  Finding  after 
repeated  trials  that  the  Essex  was  a superior  sailer 
to  either  of  the  enemy’s  ships,  it  was  determined 
that  he  should  let  the  enemy  chase  her  off,  and  there- 
by give  the  Essex  Junior  a chance  of  escape. 

On  the  day  following,  the  28th  of  March,  the  wind 
began  to  blow  from  the  south;  the  Essex  having 
parted  her  larboard  cable,  dragged  her  starboard 
anchor  out  to  sea.  Having  all  sails  set;  and  per- 
ceiving the  enemy  close  in  with  the  western  side  of 
the  bay,  and  that  there  was  a possibility  of  passing 
to  windward  and  gaining  the  sea  by  superior  sailing, 
Captain  Porter  determined  to  hazard  the  attempt. 
He  took  in  his  topgallant  sails,  and  fitted  up  for  the 
purpose,  but  unfortunately,  on  rounding  the  point,  a 
heavy  squall  struck  the  ship,  and  bore  away  the  main 
topmast,  and  threw  the  men  who  were  aloft  into  the 
sea  and  drowned  them.  Both  ships  immediately 
gave  chase,  and  Captain  Porter  finding  that  from  the 
crippled  state  of  his  ship  it  would  be  unsafe  to  pro- 
ceed, determined  to  run  into  port  again  and  repair 
3 G 


418  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  ACTION. 

damages.  But  finding  it  impossible  to  gain  the  coin 
mon  anchorage  which  he  had  left,  he  put  into  a small 
bay  about  three  quarters  of  a mile  from  the  battery 
and  to  the  leeward  of  it,  on  the  east  of  the  harbour, 
and  dropped  anchor  within  pistol  shot  of  the  shore. 
Supposing  himself  secure,  he  thought  only  of  repair- 
ing the  damages  he  had  sustained,  expecting  that  the 
enemy  would  respect  the  neutrality  of  the  place. 
The  wary  and  menacing  approach  of  the  enemy 
showed  that  they  had  a more  important  object  in  view 
than  to  exchange  kindness  with  a generous  enemy. 
Their  instructions  were  to  crush  the  noxious  foe, 
that  had  been  so  destructive  to  the  commerce  of 
their  country;  and  being  furnished  with  a force  com- 
petent to  this  service,  and  having  the  enemy  once  in 
their  power,  they  had  no  desire  to  wave  their  supe- 
riority, and  give  him  a chance  to  escape  and  continue 
his  work  of  destruction.  Displa)fing  their  motto  flags 
and  having  jacks  at  all  their  masts’  heads^  Captain 
Porter  soon  discovered  the  real  danger  of  his  situa- 
tion. With  all  despatch  he  prepared  for  action  and 
endeavoured  to  get  a spring  on  his  cable ; but  was 
unsuccessful,  when  at  fifty-four  minutes  past  3 P.  M. 
the  enemy  commenced  the  action.  The  Phoebe  having 
laid  herself  under  his  stern  and  the  Cherub  on  his 
starboard  bow,  the  latter  finding  herself  in  a dan- 
gerous place  and  exposed  to  a hot  fire,  bore  up,  and 
ran  under  bis  stern  also,  where  they  both  kept  up  a 
raking  fire,  to  which  Captain  Porter  was  unable  to 
make  any  effective  return.  He,  however,  succeeded 
three  different  times  in  getting  springs  on  his  cables, 
for  the  purpose  of  bringing  his  broadside  to  bear  on 
the  enemy;  but  they  were  as  often  shot  away  by  the 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  ACTION.  419 

excessive  fire  to  which  he  was  exposed.  F or  defence 
against  this  tremendous  attack  he  was  obliged  to  rely 
on  three  long  twelve  pounders,  which  he  had  run  out 
of  the  stern  ports;  and  which  were  worked  with  such 
skill  and  bravery  as  in  half  an  hour  to  do  such  injury 
to  the  enemy’s  ships  as  to  compel  him  to  haul  off  and 
repair  losses.  It  was  evidently  the  intention  of  Com- 
modore Hillyar  to  risk  nothing  from  the  daring  cou- 
rage of  his  enemy,  but  to  take  her  at  as  cheap  a rate 
as  possible.  All  his  movements  were  calm  and  deli- 
berate, while  the  situation  of  Captain  Porter  was 
distressing;  surrounded  by  the  killed  and  wounded, 
and  from  the  crippled  state  of  his  ship  unable  to  help 
himself,  he  lay  awaiting  the  convenience  of  the  enemy 
to  renew  the  scene  of  slaughter  without  any  hope  of 
escape  or  retaliation.  The  brave  crew  of  the  Essex 
evinced  their  determination  to  hold  out  to  the  last  by 
hoisting  ensigns  in  their  shattered  rigging  and  jacks 
in  different  parts  of  the  ship.  The  enemy  having 
repaired,  placed  themselves  on  the  starboard  quarter 
of  the  Essex,  and  again  commenced  their  work  of 
destruction,  out  of  reach  of  her  carronades.  Captain 
Porter  saw  there  was  no  hope  of  injuring  the  enemy 
without  hearing  up  and  becoming  the  assailant;  and 
this  he  determined  to  do.  From  the  shattered  state 
of  his  rigging  he  was  unable  to  raise  any  other  sail 
than  the  flying  jib,  which  he  caused  to  be  set,  and 
having  cut  his  cable  he  bore  down  upon  the  enemy 
with  the  intention  of  laying  the  Phoebe  on  board. 

He  was  now  able  to  close  with  the  enemy,  when 
the  firing  on  both  sides  was  tremendous  and  destruc- 
tive. The  Essex  was  in  a truly  deplorable  condition; 
her  deck  was  strewed  with  the  dead  and  dying,  her 


420  PROGRESS  OF  THE  ACTION. 

cockpit  filled  with  wounded ; she  had  been  several 
times  on  fire  and  was  in  fact  a total  wreck;  still  a 
feeble  hope  sprung  up  that  she  might  be  victorious, 
from  the  circumstance  of  the  Cherub  being  compelled 
to  haul  off  by  her  crippled  state;  she,  however,  did 
not  return  to  close  action  again,  but  kept  up  a distant 
firing  with  her  long  guns.  The  Phoebe  also  being 
seriously  injured  began  to  edge  off  and  choose  the 
distance  which  best  suited  her  long  guns.  The  Essex 
was  unable,  from  her  shattered  state,  to  take  advan 
tage  of  single  combat  with  the  Phoebe,  and  for  want 
of  sail  was  unable  to  keep  at  close  quarters  with  her. 
Both  ships  now  kept  up  a tremendous  and  destructive 
fire,  which  made  dreadful  havoc  among  the  crew  of 
the  Essex,  many  of  whose  guns  were  rendered  use- 
less, while  many  had  their  whole  crews  destroyed, 
and  one  gun  in  particular  was  manned  three  times ; 
fifteen  men  were  slain  at  it  in  the  course  of  the  action. 
Having  lost  all  hope  of  closing  with  the  enemy.  Cap- 
tain Porter  determined  to  run  his  ship  on  shore,  land 
the  crew,  and  destroy  her.  Having  approached  within 
musket  shot  of  the  shore,  and  with  every  prospect  of 
succeeding,  the  wind  shifted  and  bore  her  down  upon 
the  Phcebe,  exposing  her  again  to  a dreadful  and 
raking  fire.  The  ship  was  now  totally  unmanageable; 
but  as  her  head  was  toward  the  enemy  and  he  to 
leew^ard,  Captain  Porter  conceived  a faint  hope  of 
being  able  to  board  her.  At  this  moment  Lieutenant 
Downes  of  the  Essex  Junior  came  on  board  to  receive 
orders,  expecting  that  Captain  Porter  would  soon  be 
made  prisoner.  Finding  from  the  enemy^s  putting 
Ills  helm  up,  that  the  last  attempt  at  boarding  w^ould 
not  succeed,  Cantain  Porter  directed  him  to  return 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  ACTION.  421 

to  his  own  ship  and  prepare  for  destroying  or  defend- 
ing her  in  case  of  attack.  The  Cherub  kept  up  a hot 
fire  on  him  during  his  return.  The  enemy  still  kept 
up  a constant  and  destructive  fire  on  the  Essex, 
dealing  death  and  destruction  among  her  brave  crew. 
Still  her  commander  persisted,  determined  to  hold 
out  in  the  unequal  and  almost  hopeless  conflict. 
Every  expedient  that  a fertile  and  inventive  mind 
could' suggest  was  resorted  to,  that  they  might  escape 
from  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  A halser  was  bent 
to  the  sheet  anchor,  and  the  anchor  cut  from  the 
bows,  to  bring  the  ship’s  head  around,  and  bring  her 
broadside  again  to  bear  upon  the  enemy.  This  suc- 
ceeded; but,  from  the  crippled  state  of  the  enemy, 
they  were  unable  to  hold  their  own.  Captain  Porter 
thought  she  might  drift  out  of  gunshot  before  she 
discovered  that  he  had  cast  anchor. 

The  halser  unfortunately  parted,  and  with  it  the 
last  lingering  hope  of  the  Essex.  At  this  moment 
the  state  of  the  Essex  was  lamentable.  She  was  on 
fire  both  forward  and  aft,  the  flames  bursting  up  the 
hatchway,  her  decks  strewed  with  the  mangled 
corpses  of  her  brave  crew,  while  many  of  her  officers 
and  men  lay  wounded  in  every  part  of  the  ship.  A 
council  of  the  officers  of  division  having  been  called, 
Captain  Porter  was  surprised  to  find  only  acting 
Lieutenant  Stephen  Decatur  McKnight  remaining, 
the  rest  having  either  been  killed  or  wounded  and 
carried  below.  In  the  mean  time  the  enemy,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  smoothness  of  the  water,  lay  secure 
at  a distance,  where  she  kept  up  a constant  and 
destructive  fire,  aiming  with  coolness  and  certainty, 
hitting  the  hull  at  every  shot.  Captain  Porter  having 


422  CAPTURE  OF  THE  ESSEX. 

despaired  of  saving  the  ship,  was  compelled  at  twenty 
minutes  past  six  P.  M.  to  give  the  painful  command 
to  strike  the  colours.  The  enemy  continued  firing, 
and  Captain  Porter  thinking  he  intended  to  show  no 
quarter,  was  about  to  rehoist  his  flag  and  fight  until 
he  sunk,  when  they  ceased  their  attack  ten  minutes 
after  the  surrender,  in  which  time  several  men  on 
board  the  Essex  were  killed.  The  loss  of  the  Essex 
is  a sufficient  testimony  of  the  desperate  bravery 
with  which  she  was  defended.  The  general  conduct 
of  the ‘officers  and  men  bears  ample  testimony  to 
their  heroism.  Out  of  255  men  which  composed  her 
crew,  58  were  killed,  39  severely  wounded,  21  slightly, 
and  31  missing,  making  in  all  154.  She  was  com- 
pletely cut  to  pieces,  and  so  covered  with  the  dead 
and  dying,  with  mangled  limbs,  with  brains  and  blood, 
and  the  ghastly  forms  of  death,  that  the  officer  who 
came  on  board  to  take  possession  of  her,  though 
accustomed  to  scenes  of  slaughter,  fainted  at  the 
shocking  spectacle.  After  the  affair  of  the  Argus 
and  Pelican,  it  was  asserted  that  our  sailors  were 
brave  only  while  successful  and  unhurt,  but  that  the 
sight  of  slaughter  filled  them  with  dismay.  This 
battle  clearly  proves  that  they  are  capable  of  the 
highest  exercise  of  courage.  From  the  distance  and 
position  of  the  enemy,  this  battle  was  chiefly  fought 
on  the  part  of  the  Essex  by  six  twelve  pounders 
only,  yet  the  damage  sustained  by  the  enemy  was 
severe.  Their  masts  and  yards  were  badly  crippled, 
their  hulls  much  cut  up,  the  Phoebe,  especially, 
received  eighteen  twelve  pound  shot  below  her  water 
line,  some  three  feet  under  water.  Their  loss  in 
killed  and  wounded  was  not  ascertained,  but  must 


SYMPATHY  OF  THE  CHILIANS.  423 

have  been  severe ; the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Phoebe 
was  killed,  and  Captain  Tucker  of  the  Cherub  was 
severely  wounded.  It  was  with  some  difficulty  that 
the  Phoebe  and  Essex  were  kept  afloat  until  they 
anchored  next  morning  in  the  harbour  of  Valparaiso. 
This  battle  was  fought  so  near  the  shore  that  the 
neighbouring  heights  were  filled  with  the  inhabitants 
of  Valparaiso,  who  were  spectators  of  it;  and  some 
of  the  shot  fell  among  the  citizens  who  had  ventured 
down  upon  the  beach.  A generous  anxiety  ran 
throughout  the  multitude  for  the  fate  of  the  Essex; 
bursts  of  delight  arose  when  any  change  of  battle 
seemed  to  favour  her;  the  eager  spectators  were 
seen  to  wring  their  hands,  and  utter  groans  of  sym- 
pathy when  the  transient  hope  failed,  and  the  gallant 
little  frigate  once  more  became  the  scene  of  delibe- 
rate slaughter.  After  the  battle,  as  Captain  Porter 
acknowledges.  Commodore  Hillyar  endeavoured  as 
much  as  lay  in  his  power  to  alleviate  their  suffering 
and  distress  by  the  most  generous  and  delicate  deport- 
ment towards  both  officers  and  men,  commanding 
that  the  property  of  every  person  should  be  restored. 
Captain  Porter  and  his  crew  were  paroled  and  per- 
mitted to  return  to  the  United  States.  Oflf  the  port 
of  New  York  they  were  overhauled  by  the  Saturn 
razee,  whose  commander  questioned  the  authority 
of  Commodore  Hillyar  to  grant  a passport.  Captain 
Porter  then  told  the  boarding  officer  that  he  gave  up 
his  parole  and  considered  himself  a prisoner  of  war, 
and  as  such  should  use  all  means  of  escape.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  threat,  the  Essex  Junior  was  com- 
pelled to  remain  under  the  lee  of  the  Saturn  all  night; 
but  the  next  morning  Captain  Porter  put  off  in  his 


424  APPOINTED  NAVY  COMMISSIONER, 

boat,  though  thirty  miles  from  the^  shore ; and  not- 
withstanding he  was  pursued  by  the  Saturn  he  landed 
safely  on  Long  Island.  Various  interesting  and  ro- 
mantic rumours  had  reached  this  country  concerning 
him  during  his  cruise  in  the  Pacific,  which  had  excited 
the  curiosity  of  the  public  to  see  this  modern  Sinbad 
on  his  arrival  at  New  York  his  carriage  was  sui 
rounded  by  the  populace,  who  took  out  the  horses, 
and  dragged  him,  with  shouts  and  acclamations,  to 
his  lodgings. 

Of  the  remainder  of  Commodore  Porter's  eventful 
life  our  scanty  limits  compel  us  to  give  but  an  imper- 
fect sketch. 

After  the  conclusion  of  the  war  in  1815,  Commo- 
dore Porter  was  appointed  a navy  commissioner. 
He  was  a member  of  that  board  until  the  year  1821, 
during  which  time  he  devoted  the  whole  of  his  atten- 
tion to  the  interests  of  the  navy.  In  1821  he  volun- 
teered to  take  command  of  the  West  India  squadron 
for  the  suppression  of  piracy.  A more  difficult  and 
hazardous  service  was  scarcely  ever  undertaken.  A 
long  and  constant  exposure  to  a tropical  sun  by  day, 
and  deadly  chills  and  damps  by  night,  constantly 
threatened  the  lives  of  the  little  bands,  who  were 
seeking,  in  open  boats  and  vessels  of  the  smallest 
size,  the  haunts  of  the  freebooters,  among  the  rocks 
and  shoals  of  the  uninhabited  coasts  of  Cuba  and 
St.  Domingo.  They  performed  it,  however,  with 
such  signal  zeal  and  success,  that  at  the  end  of  sixty 
days  from  the  commencement  of  his  operations,  the 
commodore,  in  his  official  despatches,  was  able  to 
say,  “ that  there  was  not  a pirate  afloat  in  the  region 
of  Matanzas,  the  scene  of  their  greatest  depredations, 


COMMANDS  THE  WEST  INDIA  SQUADRON.  425 

larger  than  an  open  boat ; and  not  a single  piratical 
act  had  been  committed  on  the  coast  of  Cuba  since 
he  had  organized  and  arranged  his  forces.’’  He, 
however,  very  much  regretted  that  the  gazettes  of 
the  United  States  had  given  publicity  to  the  fitting 
3ut  of  his  armament,  its  destination  and  object,  long 
Defore  his  arrival  in  the  West  Indies,  which  enabled 
the  pirates  to  change  their  ground,  and  prevented 
their  complete  destruction;  which,  otherwise,  he 
should  have  accomplished.  Many  of  them  sought 
other  hiding  places  in  the  southern  and  south-western 
coasts  of  Cuba,  near  Cape  Antonio;  whence,  at  an 
after  period,  they  renewed  their  depredations.* 

In  October,  1824,  Commodore  Porter,  in  resent- 
ment of  an  insult  offered  to  the  flag  of  the  United 
States,  by  the  authorities  of  Foxardo  in  Porto  Pico, 
landed  a force  at  the  place  and  compelled  a public 
apology.  For  this  act  he  was  recalled  from  the  sta- 
tion where  he  had  rendered  such  eminent  service, 
and  in  consequence  of  the  action  of  a court  martial 
was  suspended  from  his  command  for  six  months. 
The  commodore  felt  himself  greatly  aggrieved  by 
these  proceedings.  He  had  voluntarily  relinquished 
an  easy  and  honourable  station,  as  commissioner  of 
the  navy,  for  a very  difficult  and  dangerous  service, 
which  he  had  executed  with  great  zeal  and  success, 
resulting  in  important  benefits  to  his  country.  For  a 
single  error  in  judgment,  in  relation  to  the  extent  of 
his  powers,  which  had  been  attended  with  no  evil, 
and  which  fell  far  short  of  other  cases  that  had 
been  overlooked,  he  had  been  taken  from  his  com 


* Perkins’  Historical  Sketches,  chap.  14. 

3H  36» 


426  DEATH  OF  COMMODORE  PORTER. 

inand,  ordered  home,  arrested,  tried  by  a court  mar- 
tial, and  suspended.  Under  these  impressions  he 
resigned  his  command  in  the  navy,  and  entered  into 
a negotiation  with  the  Mexican  government,  by  which 
he  became  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  naval  forces 
of  Mexico,  with  a salary  of  twenty-five  thousand  dol 
lars  a year. 

In  1829  Commodore  Porter  left  the  service  of 
Mexico,  and  returning  to  this  country  received  the 
appointment  of  consul  general  to  the  Barbary  powers. 
After  the  capture  of  Algiers  by  the  French,  he  was 
appointed  charge  d’affaires  to  Constantinople.  He 
subsequently  returned  to  this  country,  and  was  sent 
out  as  minister  to  the  Porte.  All  the  important 
negotiations  and  treaties  of  our  government  with  that 
of  Turkey  subsequent  to  that  period  have  been  con- 
ducted by  him;  and  he  still  retained  this  highly 
honourable  and  important  appointment  at  the  time 
of  his  decease,  which  took  place  March  28th,  1843. 

Commodore  Porter  was  one  of  the  most  active, 
courageous  and  able  officers  that  have  served  under 
the  American  flag.  With  a chivalrous  disregard  of 
ease  and  interest,  he  always  sought  the  post  of  greatest 
danger  and  difficulty,  and  was  always  found  equal  to 
any  emergency  in  which  he  was  placed  by  the  de- 
mands of  duty  and  honour.  If  he  was  prone  to  act 
upon  impulse,  his  impulses  were  always  of  a noble 
and  generous  kind,  worthy  of  the  high-spirited  de- 
fender of  a national  flag.  His  services  were  eminent 
in  every  station  which  he  filled,  and  they  will  ever 
be  remembered  with  gratitude  by  his  countrymen. 


1 


WILLIAM  BUEROWS, 


T is  the  laudable  desire  of  every  brave 
man  to  receive  the  praises  of  his 
countrymen ; but  there  is  a dearer 
and  more  cherished  wish  that  grows  closer  to  his 
heart : it  is  to  live  in  the  recollections  of  those  he 
loves  and  honours ; to  leave  behind  him  a name,  at 
the  mention  of  which  the  bosom  of  friendship  shall 
glow,  the  eye  of  affection  shall  brighten ; which  shall 
be  a legacy  of  honest  pride  to  his  family,  causing  it 
to  dwell  on  his  worthy  deeds,  and  glory  in  his  memory. 
The  braA^est  soldier  would  not  willingly  expose  him- 
self to  certain  danger,  if  he  thought  that  death  were 
to  be  followed  by  oblivion;  he  might  rise  above  the 
mere  dread  of  bodily  pain,  but  human  pride  shrinks 
from  the  darkness  and  silence  of  the  grave. 

It  is  the  duty,  and  it  is  likewise  the  policy,  there- 
fore, of  a nation,  to  pay  distinguished  honour  to  the 
memories  of  those  who  have  fallen  in  its  service.  It 
is,  after  all,  but  a cheap  reward  for  sufferings  and 
death ; but  it  is  a reward  that  will  prompt  others  to 
the  sacrifice,  when  they  see  that  it  is  faithfully  dis- 
charged. The  youthful  bosom  warms  with  emulation 
at  the  praises  of  departed  heroes.  The  marble  monu- 
ment that  bears  the  story  of  a nation’s  admiration 
and  gratitude,  becomes  an  object  of  ambition.  Death, 

427 


428 


EARLY  LIFE. 


the  great  terror  of  warfare,  ceases  to  be  an  evil  when 
graced  with  such  distinctions;  and  thus  one  hero 
may  be  said,  like  a phoenix,  to  spring  from  the  ashes 
of  his  predecessor. 

In  the  gallant  young  officer  who  is  the  subject  of 
the  present  memoir,  we  shall  see  these  observations 
verified;  he  fought  with  the  illustrious  example  of 
his  brethren  before  his  eyes,  and  died  with  the  fune- 
ral honours  of  Lawrence  fresh  in  his  recollection. 

Lieutenant  William  Burrows  was  born  in  1785,  at 
Kinderton,  near  Philadelphia,  the  seat  of  his  father, 
William  Ward  Burrows,  Esq.,  of  South  Carolina. 
He  was  educated  chiefly  under  the  eye  of  his  parent, 
who  was  a gentleman  of  accomplished  mind  and 
polished  manners.  It  is  not  known  whether  he  was 
intended  for  any  particular  profession;  but  great 
pains  were  taken  to  instruct  him  in  the  living  lan- 
guages ; and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  as  well 
acquainted  with  the  German  as  with  his  mother 
tongue ; he  was  likewise  kept  rigidly  at  the  study  of 
the  French,  for  which,  however,  he  showed  a singular 
aversion.  The  dawning  of  his  character  was  pleasing 
and  auspicious ; to  quickness  of  intellect  he  added  an 
amiable  disposition  and  generous  sensibility  of  heart. 
His  character,  however,  soon  assumed  more  distinct 
and  peculiar  features ; a shade  of  reserve  began  gra- 
dually to  settle  on  his  manners.  At  an  age  when  the 
feelings  of  other  children  are  continually  bursting  forth, 
he  seemed  to  hush  his  into  subjection.  He  appeared  to 
retire  within  himself : to  cherish  a solitary  independ- 
ence of  mind,  and  to  rely  as  much  as  possible  on 
his  own  resources.  It  seemed  as  if  his  young  imagi- 
nation. had  already  glanced  forth  on  the  rough  scene 


I 


A MIDSHIPMAN. 


429 


of  his  future  life,  and  that  he  was  silently  preparing 
himself  for  its  vicissitudes.  Nor  is  it  improbable 
that  such  was  the  case.  Though  little  communicative 
of  his  hopes  and  wishes,  it  was  evident  that  his  genius 
had  taken  its  bias.  Even  among  the  gentle  employ- 
ments and  elegant  pursuits  of  a polite  education,  his 
family  were  astonished  to  perceive  the  rugged  symp- 
toms of  the  sailor  continually  breaking  forth : and 
his  drawing  master  would  sometimes  surprise  him 
neglecting  the  allotted  task,  to  paint  the  object  of  his 
silent  adoration — a gallant  ship  of  war. 

On  finding  that  such  was  the  determined  bent  of 
his  inclinations,  care  was  immediately  taken  to  in- 
struct him  in  naval  science.  A midshipman’s  warrant 
was  procured  for  him  in  November,  1799,  and  in  the 
following  January  he  joined  the  sloop  of  war  Ports- 
mouth, commanded  by  Captain  M‘Neale,  in  which 
he  sailed  to  France.  This  cruise,  while  it  confirmed 
his  predilection  for  the  life  he  had  adopted,  made 
him  acquainted  with  his  own  deficiencies.  Instead 
of  the  puerile  vanity  and  harmless  ostentation  which 
striplings  generally  evince  when  they  first  put  on 
their  uniform,  and  feel  the  importance  of  command, 
it  was  with  difficulty  he  could  be  persuaded  to  wear 
the  naval  dress,  until  he  had  proved  himself  worthy 
of  it  by  his  services.  The  same  mixture  of  genuine 
diffidence  and  proud  humility  was  observed  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  towards  his  inferiors;  he  felt 
the  novelty  of  his  situation,  and  shrunk  from  the 
exercise  of  authority  over  the  aged  and  veteran  sailor, 
whom  he  considered  his  superior  in  seamanship.  On 
his  return  home,  therefore,  he  requested  a furlough 
of  some  months,  to  strengthen  him  in  the  principles 


430 


TRIPOLITAN  WAR. 


of  navigation  He  also  resumed  the  study  of  the 
French  language,  the  necessity  for  which  he  had  ex- 
perienced in  his  late  cruise,  and  from  his  knowledge 
of  grammatical  elements,  joined  to  vigorous  applica- 
tion, he  soon  learned  to  use  it  with  fluency. 

He  was  afterwards  ordered  on  duty,  and  served  on 
board  of  various  ships  until  1803,  w^hen  he  was  or- 
dered to  the  frigate  Constitution,  Commodore  Preble. 
Soon  after  the  arrival  of  that  ship  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, the  commodore,  noticing  his  zeal  and  abilities, 
made  him  an  acting  lieutenant.  In  the  course  of  the 
Tripolitan  war  he  distinguished  himself  on  various 
occasions  by  his  intrepidity;  particularly  in  one  in- 
stance, w^hen  he  rushed  into  the  midst  of  a mutinous 
body,  and  seized  the  ringleader,  at  the  imminent 
hazard  of  his  life.  After  his  return  to  the  United 
States,  in  1807,  he  was  in  difierent  services,  and 
among  others,  as  first  lieutenant  of  the  Hornet. 
While  in  this  situation,  he  distinguished  himself 
greatly  during  a violent  and  dangerous  gale,  insomuch 
that  his  brother  officers  attributed  the  preservation  of 
the  ship  entirely  to  his  presence  of  mind  and  con- 
summate seamanship. 

The  details  of  a sailor’s  life  are  generally  brief, 
and  little  satisfactory.  We  expect  miraculous  stories 
from  men  who  rove  the  deep,  visit  every  corner  of 
the  world,  and  mingle  in  storms  and  battles;  and  are 
mortified  to  find  them  treating  these  subjects  wdth 
provoking  brevity.  The  fact  is,  these  circumstances 
that  excite  our  wonder  are  trite  and  familiar  to  their 
minds.  He  whose  whole  life  is  a tissue  of  perils  and 
adventures,  passes  lightly  over  scenes  at  which  the 
landsman,  accustomed  to  the  security  of  his  fireside, 


CHARACTER  OF  BURROWS.  431 

shudders  even  in  imagination.  Mere  bravery  ceases 
to  be  a matter  of  ostentation,  when  every  one  around 
him  is  brave ; and  hairbreadth  ’scapes  are  common- 
place topics  among  men  whose  very  profession  con- 
sists in  the  hourly  hazard  of  existence. 

In  seeking,  therefore,  after  interesting  anecdotes 
concerning  those  naval  officers  whose  exploits  have 
excited  publi**.  enthusiasm,  our  curiosity  is  continually 
baffled  by  general  accounts,  or  meager  particulars, 
given  with  the  technical  brevity  of  a log-book.  We 
have  thus  been  obliged  to  pass  cursorily  over  several 
years  of  Burrows’  seafaring  life,  though  doubtless 
chequered  by  many  striking  incidents. 

From  what  we  can  collect,  he  seems  to  have  been 
a marked  and  eccentric  character.  His  peculiarity, 
instead  of  being  smoothed  and  worn  down  by  mingling 
with  the  world,  became  more  and  more  prominent,  as 
he  advanced  in  life.  He  had  centred  all  his  pride  in 
becoming  a thorough  and  accomplished  sailor,  and 
regarded  every  thing  else  with  indifference.  His 
manners  were  an  odd  compound  of  carelessness  and 
punctilio,  frankness  and  taciturnity.  He  stood  aloof 
from  the  familiarity  of  strangers,  and  in  his  contempt 
of  what  he  considered  fawning  and  profession,  was 
sometimes  apt  to  offend  by  blunt  simplicity,  or  chill 
by  reserve.  But  his  character,  when  once  known, 
seemed  to  attach  by  its  very  eccentricities,  and  though 
little  studious  of  pleasing,  he  soon  became  a decided 
favourite.  He  had  an  original  turn  of  thought  and  a 
strong  perception  of  every  thing  ludicrous  and  charac- 
teristic. Though  scarcely  ever  seen  to  laugh  himself, 
he  possessed  an  exquisite  vein  of  dry  humour  which 
ne  would  occasionally  indulge  in  the  hours  of  hilarity. 


432  CHARACTER  OF  BURROWS 

and,  without  moving  a muscle  of  his  own  countenance, 
would  set  the  table  in  a roar.  When  under  the 
influence  of  this  lurking  drollery,  every  thing  he  said 
and  did  was  odd  and  whimsical.  His  replies  were 
remarkably  happy,  and,  heightened  by  the  peculiarity 
of  his  manner,  and  the  provoking  gravity  of  his  de- 
meanour, were  sources  of  infinite  merriment  to  his 
associates.  It  was  his  delight  to  put  on  the  dress  of 
the  common  sailor,  and  explore  the  haunts  of  low 
life,  drawing  from  thence  traits  of  character  and 
comic  scenes,  with  which  he  would  sometimes  enter- 
tain his  messmates. 

But  with  all  this  careless  and  eccentric  manner,  he 
possessed  a heart  full  of  noble  qualities.  He  was 
proud  of  spirit,  but  perfectly  unassuming ; jealous  of 
his  own  rights,  but  scrupulously  considerate  of  those 
of  others.  His  friendships  were  strong  and  sincere ; 
and  he  was  zealous  in  the  performance  of  secret  and 
important  services  for  those  to  whom  he  was  at- 
tached. There  was  a rough  benevolence  in  his  dis- 
position, that  manifested  itself  in  a thousand  odd 
ways ; nothing  delighted  him  more  than  to  surprise 
the  distressed  with  relief,  and  he  was  noted  for  his 
kindness  and  condescension  towards  the  humble  and 
dependant.  His  companions  were  full  of  his  generous 
deeds,  and  he  was  the  darling  of  the  common  sailors. 
Such  was  the  sterling  worth  that  lay  encrusted  in 
an  unpromising  exterior,  and  hidden  from  the  world 
by  a forbidding  and  taciturn  reserve. 

With  such  strong  sensibilities  and  solitary  pride 
of  character.  It  was  the  lot  of  Burrows  to  be  wounded 
in  that  tender  part  where  the  feelings  of  officers  seem 
most  assailable.  In  his  promotion  to  a lieutenancy 


ENTERS  THE  MERCHANT  SERVICE.  433 

he  had  the  mortification  to  find  himself  outranked  by 
junior  officers,  some  of  whom  he  had  commanded  in 
the  Tripolitan  war.  He  remonstrated  to  the  navy 
department,  but  without  redress.  On  Mr.  Hamilton’s 
going  into  office,  he  stated  to  him  his  claims,  and, 
impatient  of  the  slight  which  he  conceived  he  had 
suffered,  offered  to  resign  his  commission,  which, 
however,  was  not  accepted.  Whether  the  wrongs 
of  which  he  complained  were  real  or  imaginary,  they 
preyed  deeply  on  his  mind.  He  seemed  for  a time  to 
grow  careless  of  the  world  and  of  himself;  withdrew 
more  than  ever  from  society,  and  abandoned  himself 
to  the  silent  breedings  of  a wounded  spirit.  Perhaps 
this  morbid  sensibility  of  feeling  might  in  some  mea- 
sure have  been  occasioned  by  infirmity  of  body,  his 
health  having  been  broken  by  continual  and  severe 
duty;  but  it  belongs  to  a saturnine  character,  like 
that  of  Burrows,  to  feel  deeply  and  sorely.  Men  of 
gayer  spirits  and  more  mercurial  temperament,  may 
readily  shake  off  vexation,  or  bustle  it  away  amid  the 
amusements  and  occupations  of  the  world;  but  Bur- 
rows was  scanty  in  his  pleasures,  limited  in  his 
resources,  single  in  his  ambition.  Naval  distinction 
was  the  object  of  all  his  hopes  and  pride ; it  was  the 
only  light  that  led  him  on  and  cheered  his  way,  and 
whatever  intervened  left  him  in  darkness  and  dreari- 
ness of  heart. 

Finding  his  resignation  was  not  accepted,  and  feel- 
ing temporary  disgust  at  the  service,  he  applied  for  a 
furlough,  which,  with  some  difficulty,  he  obtained. 
He  then  entered  as  first  officer  on  board  the  merchant 
ship  Thomas  Penrose,  Captain  Ansley,  and  sailed  on 
a commercial  voyage  to  Canton.  On  his  return 
31  3T 


434 


ENTERPRISE  AND  BOXER. 


passage  he  was  captured  and  carried  into  Barbadoes, 
but  permitted  to  come  home,  on  parole.  Immediately 
on  his  being  exchanged,  in  June,  1813,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  the  brig  Enterprise,  (16 
guns,)  at  Portsmouth. 

This  appointment  seemed  to  infuse  new  life  and 
spirits  into  Burrows,  and  to  change  his  whole  deport- 
ment. His  proper  pride  was  gratified  on  having  a 
sepa^^ate  command;  he  no  longer  felt  like  an  unim- 
port  mt  individual,  hut  that  he  had  rank  and  station 
to  support.  He  threw  off  a great  deal  of  his  habitual 
reserve,  became  urbane  and  attentive;  and  those  who 
had  lately  looked  upon  him  as  a mere  misanthrope, 
were  delighted  with  the  manly  frankness  of  his 
manners. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  the  Enterprise  sailed 
from  Portsmouth  on  a cruise.  On  the  5th,  early  in 
the  morning,  they  espied  a brig  in  shore  getting 
under  way.  They  reconnoitred  her  for  a while  to 
ascertain  her  character,  of  which  they  were  soon  in- 
formed by  her  hoisting  three  British  ensigns,  and 
firing  a shot  as  a challenge.  The  Enterprise  then 
hauled  upon  a wind,  stood  out  of  the  bay,  and  prepared 
for  action.  A calm  for  some  time  delayed  the  encoun- 
ter; it  was  succeeded  by  a breeze  from  the  south- 
west, which  gave  our  vessel  the  weathergage.  After 
manoeuvring  for  a while  to  the  windward,  in  order  to 
try  her  sailing  with  the  enemy,  and  to  ascertain  his 
force,  the  Enterprise,  about  3 P.  M.,  shortened  sail, 
hoisted  three  ensigns,  fired  a gun,  tacked,  and  ran 
down  with  an  intention  to  bring  him  to  close  quarters. 
When  within  half  pistol  shot  the  enemy  gave  three 
cheers,  and  commenced  the  action  with  his  starboard 


435 


siONmi  io  nmum 

3Hi  JO 

A«v«an 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  BOXER.  437 

broadside.  The  cheers  and  the  broadside  were  re- 
turned on  our  part,  and  the  action  became  general. 
In  about  five  minutes  after  the  battle  had  commenced, 
the  gallant  Burrows  received  a musket  ball  in  his 
body  and  fell;  he,  however,  refused  to  be  carried 
below,  but  continued  on  deck  through  the  action. 
The  active  command  was  then  taken  by  Lieutenant 
M'Call,  who  conducted  himself  with  great  skill  and 
coolness.  The  enemy  was  out-manoeuvred  and  cut 
up:  his  maintopmast  and  topsail-yard  shot  away;  a 
position  gained  on  his  starboard  bow,  and  a raking 
fire  kept  up,  until  his  guns  were  silenced  and  he  cried 
for  quarters,  saying,  that  as  his  colours  were  nailed 
to  the  mast  he  could  not  haul  them  down.  The  prize 
proved  to  be  his  Britannic  majesty^s  brig  Boxer,  of 
14  guns.  The  number  of  her  crew  is  a matter  of 
conjecture  and  dispute.  Sixty-four  prisoners  were 
taken,  seventeen  of  whom  were  wounded.  How 
many  of  the  dead  were  thrown  into  the  sea  during 
the  action  it  is  impossible  to  say  the  British  return 
only  four  as  killed ; courtesy  forbids  us  to  question 
the  veracity  of  an  officer  on  mere  presumption  ; but 
it  is  ever  the  natural  wish  of  the  vanquished  to  depre- 
ciate their  force  ; and,  in  truth,  we  have  seen  with  re- 
gret various  instances  of  disingenuousness  on  the  part 
of  the  enemy,  in  their  statements  of  our  naval  encoun- 

* In  a letter  from  Captain  Hull  to  Commodore  Bainbridge  he  de- 
scribes the  state  of  the  Boxer  when  brought  into  port : and  observes^ 
‘‘We  find  it  impossible  to  get  at  the  number  of  killed;  no  papers  are 
found  by  which  we  can  ascertain  it.  I however  counted  ninety  ham- 
mocks which  were  in  her  netting  with  beds  in  them,  besides  several 
beds  without  hammocks ; and  she  had  excellent  accommodations  foi 
all  her  officers  below  in  state-rooms,  so  that  I have  no  doubt  that  she 
had  one  hundred  men  on  board.” 

37* 


438 


CONDUCT  OF  BURROWS. 


ters.  But  we  will  not  enter  into  disputes  of  this 
kind.  It  is  enough  that  the  enemy  entered  into  the 
battle  with  a bravado  at  the  mast  head,  and  a confi 
dence  of  success ; this  either  implied  a consciousness 
of  his  own  force,  or  a low  opinion  of  his  antagonist; 
in  either  case  he  was  mistaken.  It  is  a fruitless  task 
to  vindicate  victories  against  the  excuses  of  the' van- 
quished— sufficient  for  the  victor  is  the  joy  of  his 
triumph,  he  should  allow  the  enemy  the  consolation 
of  accounting  for  it. 

We  turn  gladly  from  such  an  idle  discussion  to 
notice  the  last  moments  of  the  worthy  Burrows. 
There  needs  no  elaborate  pencil  to  impart  pathos 
and  grandeur  to  the  death  of  a brave  man.  The 
simple  anecdotes  given  in  simple  terms  by  his  sur- 
viving comrades,  present  more  striking  pictures,  than 
could  be  wrought  up  by  the  most  refined  attempts  of 
art.  “ At  twenty  minutes  past  three  P.  M.,”  says 
one  account,  “ our  brave  commander  fell,  and  while 
lying  on  the  deck,  refusing  to  be  carried  below, 
raised  his  head  and  requested  that  the  flag  might 
never  he  struck In  this  situation  he  remained  dur- 
ing the  rest  of  the  engagement,  regardless  of  bodily 
pain;  regardless  of  the  life-blood  fast  ebbing  from 
his  wound ; watching  with  anxious  eye  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  battle ; cheering  his  men  by  his  voice,  but 
animating  them  still  more  by  his  glorious  example. 
When  the  sword  of  the  vanquished  enemy  was  pre- 
sented to  him,  we  are  told  that  he  clasped  his  hands 
and  exclaimed,  “ I am  satisfied,  I die  contented.’’ 
He  now  permitted  himself  to  be  carried  below,  and 
the  necessary  attentions  were  paid  to  save  his  life,  or 
alleviate  his  sufferings.  His  wound,  however,  was 


i>£:ath  of  burrows. 


439 


beyond  the  power  of  surgery,  and  he  breathed  his 
last  within  a few  hours  after  the  victory. 

The  commander  of  the  Boxer,  Captain  Samuel 
Blythe,  was  killed  early  in  the  action  by  a cannon 
ball ; had  he  lived  he  might  have  defended  his  ship 
more  desperately,  but  it  is  not  probable  with  more 
success.  He  was  an  officer  of  distinguished  merit; 
having  received  a sword  from  government  for  his 
good  conduct  under  Sir  James  L.  Yeo,  in  the  cap- 
ture of  Cayenne.  He  was  also  one  of  the  pall-bearers 
of  our  lamented  Lawrence,  when  buried  at  Halifax. 
It  was  his  fate  now  to  receive  like  courtesy  at  the 
hands  of  his  enemy.  His  remains,  in  company  with 
those  of  the  brave  Burrows,  were  brought  to  Port- 
land, where  they  were  interred  with  military  honours. 
It  was  a striking  and  affecting  sight,  to  behold  two 
gallant  commanders,  who  had  lately  been  arrayed  in 
deadly  hostility  against  each  other,  descending  into 
one  quiet  grave,  there  to  mingle  their  dust  peacefully 
together. 


In  concluding  the  present  work^  the  author  cannot 
but  express  his  regret  that  the  narrow  limits,  ori- 
ginally prescribed  for  its  extent,  have  constrained  him 
to  omit  the  lives  of  many  commanders,  who  have  won 
distinction  in  the  naval  service  of  the  country.  A 
considerable  mass  of  materials  still  remains,  although 
there  is  not  a sufficient  quantity  to  furnish  another 
volume  of  the  same  size.  It  is  his  intention  at  some 
future  time  to  give  a second  series  of  lives  on  the 
same  plan ; and  he  would  esteem  it  a special  favour 
if  the  families  or  friends  of  deceased  commanders,  or 


440 


COXCLUDIXG  REMARKS. 


any  other  persons  who  possess  letters  or  documents 
which  may  serve  as  materials  for  a future  volume  of 
Naval  Biography,  would  permit  him  the  use  of  them 
for  that  purpose. 

It  is  due  to  the  merits  of  several  highly  distin- 
guished officers  to  say,  that  notices  of  their  lives 
would  have  been  inserted  in  the  present  work,  but 
for  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  the  requisite  materials. 
This  deficiency,  the  author  hopes,  will  be  supplied, 
should  he  ever  have  it  in  his  power  to  resume  his 
task.  The  theme  has  been  found  much  more  fertile 
than  was  supposed  at  the  outset  of  the  undertaking. 
There  are  many  highly  deserving  officers  whose 
characters  and  actions  are  comparatively  unknown 
to  fame ; but  whose  achievements  in  naval  warfare 
may  well  bear  comparison  with  those  of  the  heroes 
who  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  perform  their  parts 
on  a more  conspicuous  theatre.  Towards  these  the 
author  trusts  that  history  hereafter  will  do  justice ; 
and  that  many  noble  actions  in  our  naval  annals, 
hitherto  unnoticed,  may  be  placed  in  their  proper 
light,  and  receive  their  merited  meed  of  praise  from 
a grateful  country 


THE  END 


4 


y r- 


